Forgetting If, Remember Yes
by hereiam
Summary: Two thousand years after the Quest to destroy the One Ring, Legolas acquires a job teaching Sindarin at a prestigious girls' school. However, none of the girls take him seriously. None except for one...LOC
1. In Which Legolas Learns of His Duty

A little background: This story takes place about two thousand years after the Lord of the Rings, making Legolas about 4000 (according to me). It's set in a modernish world, but not one that's exactly like our own, so it lacks things like computers and television. Audrey is about nineteen in this story (and hopefully not too MSish), and this school is for girls ages sixteen through twenty. The title is from an e.e. cummings poem; the first line is "in time of daffodils(who know".

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing on .

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

It had been three months since Christmas, and still the girls would not stop staring. _You'd think they'd get used to an elf after half of a semester, _Legolas mused to himself. He was sure not a one of them had learned even a word of Sindarin. Well, maybe one had, but she wasn't technically in his class. At any rate, his excitement for teaching had dwindled quite a bit. _Perhaps if I transferred to a boys' school?_ But no other school would take him; the Headmistress and owner of Fornworth's School for Girls had only hired him on out of a well-developed love for Tolkien. Sindarin had long been a dead language, but unlike ancient Latin, it didn't provide the basis for many human languages. Therefore, it was rendered useless and only learned by Tolkien scholars.

_Until now. _Legolas had been determined to reintroduce its use. He missed hearing the flowing beauty of his native tongue. So he had accepted the job halfway through the year when the French teacher left. And he had been thrilled with the whole situation: the old buildings of campus with plenty of trees, the girls who all had to pass a grueling test to attend the school, and the other teachers who all had high degrees and tons of respect for his desire to teach. _Thrilled until I walked into class the first day and discovered that my students were more inclined to hit on me than to listen to me._ _All save one. _

That one girl, the girl that hadn't sat wide-eyed and staring, the girl who had stood up for him. _Audrey_._ Audrey the wise._ Old-Maid Audrey, as the other girls liked to call her. She didn't fit in well. She was simply too smart and far too socially awkward to understand enough to dumb herself down for them. Audrey's whole life was laid out in respect to learning. She never discussed boys or giggled out gossip with the other girls at school. Instead, she read her books. She researched new things in the library. She played Solitaire for hours upon end. And she took extra lessons, to the horror of the other girls.

Normal lessons consisted of six classes a day, with a week running from Monday to Saturday. The four required ones were Math, Science, English, and a language. The girls were allowed two electives a semester, which could include anything from sewing to archery to philosophy. The four required classes met every day from ten until three, with a break from noon to one for lunch. Labs for their respective sciences met on Thursday afternoons from half past two until dinner at six. Electives were held during the afternoon on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, leaving Friday and Saturday afternoons free. Most girls only took two electives, but Audrey took four. When asked why, she simply said she couldn't decide between them.

_Of course she couldn't decide_, Legolas laughed to himself. The young girl had come to him with a dilemma after the very first Sindarin class. He had been impressed with her already, if only because when the girls had broken into giggles for the third time in that hour, she had rolled her green eyes at him in silent defiance of her own sex. So when she stayed after to speak with him, he had been glad to have found a tentative ally. And a little upset to find that she wanted to drop his class so she could take Italian. But she had calmly asked him for private lessons, explaining that the class seemed to move rather slowly, and she wished to learn far more quickly. He had agreed, and he remained happy with that decision. At least one of his students spoke Sindarin reasonably well; she had in fact progressed to the point of being able to speak in halting paragraphs.

So Legolas' foray into the human world had progressed. And now, with the spring break of three weeks beginning in a few short hours, he was looking forward to the peace and quiet of a school without giggling girls, at least for a few weeks. _Perhaps I will catch up on my archery or go camping and sleep under the stars again. _Legolas grinned to himself and returned to grading his rather abysmal midterms. _One would think if the girls wanted to impress me, they would at least try to do well in class_, he frowned.

A knock sounded on his office door a few minutes later.

"Come in," Legolas called, glancing toward the door to see the Headmistress, Claire Fornworth, already stepping into the room.

"Legolas, my dear elf, I have a favor to ask of you." Then she sat, awaiting his response.

_Well calling me 'my dear elf' is not going to induce me to help you._ "What can I do for you, Claire?"

"I don't think you're going to like this, but one of our girls must stay for the spring break period." She sighed rather violently before continuing. "Her family has just sent me some awful news, some mess about their house burning down, and they wish for her to remain at school."

"That's terrible, Claire, but what can I do about it?"

"Well, I need you to watch her. She can move into the guest room in your cottage tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Legolas glared at her. "I suppose I have no choice then. Couldn't someone else do it?"

"I think you'll do a better job than her other teachers. Besides, they are all busy with their own families. And since you'll be here anyway—"

"There's no reason why I can't watch her," he groaned out. _This break was supposed to be just that: a break! And now I have one of the silly girls living with me for three whole weeks._ "Well, Claire, who is this unfortunate girl who will be ruining my break?"

"Really, sir, I will try to stay out of your way if that's what you want." Legolas turned to see an almost silent Audrey step in through his open office door. _Audrey? I'm going to be watching her? Well at least she's not a giggler. _

"As you can see," the Headmistress smiled, "it will be Audrey Clarke here. She'll move her things into your guest room as soon as the other girls have left."

"And what about what the other girls will think about her living with me for three weeks?"

The Headmistress' voice rang with finality. "They will not know."

She rose to leave, turning to Audrey at the last moment. "I'll leave you to sort out the details with your teacher, Audrey dear. And I do expect you to be on your best behavior."

"Of course, Headmistress," Audrey murmured. The door closed with a snap that caused Audrey to flinch as the Headmistress left. She turned to Legolas, meeting his eye rather shyly. "Honestly sir, I will stay out of your way. I have a project I want to research on Middle Earth and I'll only ask you a question if I absolutely can't find the answer anywhere else. I promise!" She lowered her gaze and swept her short brown hair away from her face in a gesture that Legolas had come to associate with nervousness. "Please don't be angry with me. I asked the Headmistress if there was another way, but she said there wasn't anything else that could be done, and—"

"Audrey." Her eyes snapped up to meet his ocean blue ones. "I do not mind you staying with me. I was concerned that it was one of your classmates, one who would likely torment me the entire break. I trust that you and I will be fine, so don't worry." He smiled at her warmly. "Now I need to finish these midterms, so run along and I will see you tomorrow when everyone has gone."

"Alright." And she turned and left the room as quietly as she had come in.

_Well, now I must play babysitter for three weeks. By the Valar, this could be quite interesting. _

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If you want to send me critiques or comments, feel free! I'll appreciate any help I can get. As for flames, I tend to ignore them. Thanks for reading!


	2. In Which Legolas is Reminded of Roses

Yay! Second chapter is up!

To my reviewers:

Kissin Concern-Thanks! Glad you liked it!

GaaraOfTheSand1-Thanks! As for the school, I haven't really decided what it looks like...I'm thinking sort of like old college type of campus. You know, old brick buildings covered with ivy. I do know that teachers live in cottages around the outskirts of campus, and that the campus is in the middle of the woods (so the girls can't really sneak off). Hopefully I'll come up with a more solid image and put more descriptions in the story.

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing on .

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

She had remained true to her word. Audrey had been living in his cottage for three whole days, and Legolas hardly noticed she was there. She was as quiet as a mouse. _Or an elf._

She had taken to getting up almost as early as he did, with the still-winter sun. Every morning he saw her trudging through the snow toward the old ivy-draped library. He remembered that she was doing some research on Middle Earth, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it was. Or why she was going to the poorly-stocked library for that matter.

_Especially when I have three times as many books on Middle Earth in my study. _

But allowing the girl use of his study meant she would be there with him all the time. And although she showed no signs of bothering him yet, that didn't mean an invitation into his study was at hand. _After all, it's _my_ study. If she's there constantly asking questions, I'll never finish grading anything. _

Suddenly restless, he rose from his desk and went to the window. It was snowing lightly again, and mid-afternoon was almost as dark as night. He sighed. _I should go on a walk, get out of here for a while. _Draping a light cloak about his shoulders and fastening his Lorien leaf pin, Legolas walked down the narrow hall toward the door. As he neared it, he passed the guest room where Audrey was staying, only to see the door had been left slightly ajar.

He paused. _Just a quick peek. She won't even know I was there._ And so he stealthily snuck through the doorway, feeling more and more like some common criminal. What he saw surprised him. The room hardly looked like someone slept there. There were no clothes on the floor, the bed was made, and through the open door to the bathroom, he could see everything was put away. _She hasn't even left a hairbrush out!_ _I knew she was neat, but this is spotless. _

And there was a new scent to the room, a fresher one that had displaced his normal smell of pine and summer rain. It was floral scent, one he recognized, but it took a minute for the scent to come to him. _Roses. She smells of roses._

He remembered the roses in his mother's garden in Mirkwood so vividly in that moment that it almost brought tears to his eyes. As it was, only elven poise held him back from releasing his emotions. _By the Valar, I had forgotten that garden. _He had not smelled roses since then.

He stood for a few moments, savoring the smell, lost in memories. But then a fresh wave of guilt washed over him as he realized what he was doing, and he turned to leave the cottage.

_Roses of all things. I must ask her what she is researching when she returns. And think more about telling her of the books in my study. Roses. _Then he lost himself in the swirling snow that called him toward the surrounding forest.

* * *

He returned to the cottage at dusk, planning to cook dinner for the both of them as he had the past three evenings. _Eru knows, she probably does not eat anything but that one meal every day. The girl is waif-thin. _

As he neared the red front door, he noticed her footprints. _So she is home early. Perhaps she has exhausted the library._

"Hello, Audrey," he called as he walked through the door, knowing she might not hear him if he did not announce his presence. She answered his greeting from the kitchen at the end of the hall. Shedding his cloak, he walked toward the warmth he was sure to find there, glancing momentarily at her room.

When he arrived in the kitchen, Legolas was confronted by the sight of Audrey placing two plates on an already-set table. The plates were loaded with what looked like a salad, but not one he had ever seen.

"What is this?" he questioned the girl.

"Well sir, I figured since you cooked the past three nights, I would do my share tonight."

"I do not expect you to cook. You are a guest. Anyway, I was referring to the food you have prepared. What _is_ it?"

"Oh! Its duck salad: duck breast on a bed of spinach with nuts, strawberry slices, and feta cheese. And I made a strawberry vinaigrette for it." She smiled at her food, then tilted her head up to meet his eye. Her smile faltered at his irritated expression.

Legolas had arched one perfectly-formed eyebrow. _Duck salad? With all the strawberries and the nuts and the cheese? That doesn't sound the least bit appetizing. _

"Have you ever tried it, sir?" Her voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Have you ever had duck salad?"

"No. And I've never heard of it. I must say that it looks quite odd to me." His last remark was peppered with a rather skeptical frown.

She lowered her head in submission and reached her hands to the plates as if to remove them from the table. But she paused, then snapped her head up to meet his eye.

He saw an array of emotions flicker through her green eyes: frustration, anger, petulance. She settled on simple defiance.

"Well I'm going to eat this, sir. If you want something else, you can make it. But I _know_ this is good."

He sighed. "Fine, I will try it as well."

They settled in their chairs in a rather strained silence. Legolas speared a piece of duck and some spinach rather viciously and glared at it before raising it to his lips. She watched furtively, trying to hide her apprehension, as he chewed and swallowed. With him being an elf, it was impossible for her to tell what he thought of it until his face broke into a sheepish grin.

"It seems I was wrong, Audrey. This is delectable. Forgive me. And give me the recipe?"

Her eyes sparkled with laughter. "Of course sir! I'm glad you like it!"

The strained silence broke into an amiable discussion of her research on Middle Earth. It turned out that she was trying to find out the origins of a series of human fairy tales. She believed the fairies in them were actually elves, which would prove that elves had journeyed to her world long before he had ended up there. He was not surprised to hear that while she had found plenty of material on the fairy tales, there was almost nothing on Middle Earth.

_This is the perfect time,_ he thought to himself._ I should invite her to use the study. She won't be an intrusion. _

"You know, Audrey, I do have several books on Middle Earth in my study. They may be of some use to you. They are written entirely in Sindarin, but I can help you with translation if you need it."

She gasped, and he saw her eyes light up before she lowered her head.

"Oh no, sir, I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Audrey, my dear, I would not invite you if I thought you were going to intrude. Besides, this project sounds interesting, and I find that I would like to help. So it's settled, you will come to the study tomorrow instead of trudging through the snow to the library."

"Well, I—okay, sir," she stammered. The meal being finished, they got up from the table. Legolas collected the dishes, and Audrey turned to go to her room.

"Audrey." He caught her halfway through the door. She turned back and looked at him questioningly. "As long as we're going to be working together, my name is Legolas, not sir."

She smiled tentatively. "Legolas."

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I hope you enjoyed it! Review if you wish!


	3. In Which Legolas Recounts the Past

Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up! I've been busy with work (blah). But it's up now! And hopefully I'll update with the next one in a few days.

GaaraOfTheSand1--Thanks! I had duck salad at a really expensive restaurant once and it was delicious. I couldn't remember what was in it, but I know it had strawberries and stuff, so I kind of just added other things I thought would be good.

Dora-the-elda--Thanks for the advice. Don't worry...I'm a little wary of the fact that this is kind of an illegal relationship too. I'm definitely not trying to portray Legolas as a cradle-robber either.

Earyende Eleniel and unfaithful444--Thanks for reviewing!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

The next morning, Legolas rose from his bed rather apprehensively. He had dreamt of Audrey in his study, peppering him with questions, and he was beginning to regret his invitation. _Still, innocent until proven guilty as these humans say. _

He dressed silently but quickly in his usual silver tunic and dark gray leggings that the tailor made especially for him. After fixing his warrior braids, he padded down the hall into his kitchen to find Audrey sitting at the table already, a halved apple on a plate in front of her.

"Good morning sir—I mean Legolas," she murmured, extending half the apple to him. He took it from her gratefully and leaned against the counter to eat.

_How could I have regretted this decision? She will not make a mess of my study. She's obviously not that type of girl. _

Feeling reassured, he turned to Audrey. "Ready to begin?"

She nodded shyly, and then flashed a grin up at him as she left the table. "Let me get my notes, please."

A few minutes later, she returned to the kitchen carrying a neat notebook and a few pencils. Legolas flicked his head toward the door, indicating that she should follow, and they began the walk down the hall to his study, which was directly across the hall from her room.

He could just barely hear her footsteps behind him. _By the Valar, she walks almost as silently as an elf. If I had not seen her footprints yesterday, I would think she could walk on the snow._

Reaching the door, he pushed it open and entered with her close on his heels.

"You can use this table over here." His voice trailed off as he turned to see her expression of awe. "What is it, Audrey?"

She blushed, realizing she had been gaping at the room. "I've just never seen so many books in Sindarin. And the painting! Who is with you?" She pointed to the painting on the wall above the fireplace. Legolas smiled. It was one of the few treasures he had been able to bring with him.

"That is Elladan and Elrohir, the sons of Elrond. They were my best friends when I was in Middle Earth."

"But, sir—Legolas, what about Aragorn? And Gimli? I thought they were your friends."

"They were, but I only knew them for a few years before I came here. Elladan and Elrohir were my friends for most of my life. We spent centuries together ever since we were young." _Centuries of mischief of course. _Legolas grinned at the memories Audrey had awoken.

"But don't you miss them then?" Audrey looked up at him. She had moved to his side when he turned to see the painting, and he realized how small she truly was. _Eru, her head barely comes to my shoulder, and I am not an overly tall elf._

But her question caused him to pause. "Usually people ask what they were like."

"Oh, I'm sure they were nice enough if they were your friends," Audrey said. "But I do not know them, and I know you. Well, more than I know them at least." He could see that the intensity of his gaze was bothering her; regardless of how unwavering her posture was, her eyes betrayed her desire to shrink from his presence.

_Do I miss them? No one has _ever_ asked me that. No lover, no friend, and I have been here for nearly two thousand years. And now this mouse of a girl has gotten under my skin. _

"Yes. I miss them." He moved from her side to stoke the embers of the fire, avoiding her watchful gaze.

"Why don't you visit them? Or—" her questioning stopped as abruptly as his head snapped up.

_And I thought she was not going to bother me with questions. Still, I suppose she means well. _

He turned to her, willing his muscles to relax. "Audrey, I do not know how I came to be here. I have been in this place for two thousand years, searching for a way back to Middle Earth. I have never found anything."

"I—oh. Oh, that's terrible sir!"

"Yes, it is." He did not bother correcting her 'sir.'

"I'm sorry, _Legolas_." She emphasized his name, and when he glanced at her, he saw genuine concern in her eyes. "I thought you chose to come here."

He shook his head. "I was brought here, but I do not know how or why. It was a few years after we destroyed the ring. I had just created a settlement in Ithilien with some of my kin. One morning I awoke in a strange place. After a few days, I realized I was no longer in Middle Earth. I was here. I have been here ever since." He spoke bitterly, allowing his self-pity to get the best of him for a moment.

"And the tale of you building a gray ship and sailing off with Gimli—"

"Is a lie." His tone brooked no questions and he seized a book rather viciously from his desk. He could see from the corner of his eye that she was a little put off by his behavior. He heard her sigh, and she placed her notebook on the table he had indicated to her earlier.

But instead of sitting down and dropping the subject, she squared her shoulders and marched over to stand in front of the desk he now sat behind.

"Well, Legolas, it is a good thing I am doing this research then."

"Audrey, I have no wish to discuss this any—"

"As I was saying," she cut him off, and he met her gaze only to see the same defiance she had demonstrated at dinner the night before. "My research will help you. You see, if I am correct, elves have journeyed here long before you did. Some of these fairy tales have been around for six or seven thousand years. If they are truly elves, and they came, then they must have found a way home or a place out of the sight of humans here."

"And what does this have to do with me?" Legolas' words were clipped.

"It means there might be a way for you to get back to Middle Earth. And if there isn't one, then there might be other elves here. I intend to find out either way."

For one of the few times in his long life, Legolas was absolutely stunned. _This girl is either ridiculous or brilliant. I've never even considered the possibility that other elves could be here. _

He sat staring at her for a few minutes, practically breathless, before he recovered. "Why? Why would you want to help me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Audrey smiled. "And, if I do find a way to Middle Earth, well, I was hoping…"

"Yes?" he prompted her. "What is it?"

"I was hoping I could come too."

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Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	4. In Which Legolas is Surprised

Finally another chapter! Sorry for the long wait! We're putting our house on the market so I've been cleaning everything. :-P

Thanks to unfaithful444, kaito142, Dora-the-elda, brownie24, and bookworm2011 for your reviews!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

For the first time since Boromir's death, Legolas' expression was easy to read. His jaw was hanging completely open in obvious shock.

They stayed frozen in their positions for more than a few minutes: Audrey standing in front of him, riveted by his astonished gaze. After a time, Legolas remembered to close his mouth. _To her credit, she has not fidgeted at all. _

But his surprise was so great that he could not find words with which to address her. Instead he tore his eyes away from hers and busied himself with straightening the papers on his desk. That was, until he realized he was acting like a child. So, with a look of dismissal, he raised his gaze back to hers.

"Audrey, that is impossible."

She stood utterly still for a moment, her expression entirely blank. Legolas was reminded why he had been impressed with her on the first day of class: her emotions were not easily evident to everyone.

But then her green eyes narrowed.

"Oh, wipe that look off your face! I'm not saying I want to come and never leave your side. All I'm saying is that I'd rather be in Middle Earth than here, and if I find a way there, I will not hesitate to take it. It would be _nice_ to know someone, but if you wished me to stay out of your way, then I'm sure you would never see me again!" By the end of her speech, Audrey was practically shouting at him.

Again, Legolas was quite taken aback. "I—you—but, Audrey!" he spluttered.

"As it is," she continued with a look of determination, "you wouldn't really have a choice. If I wish to come and I find a way, then there's nothing you could do to stop me. Short of killing me."

_Killing her? Could I do it? _

She saw the question in his eyes before he could speak and jerked away from him as if stung.

Legolas mentally slapped himself when he saw her reaction, then he gathered together his thoughts. "Forgive me. Again, it seems. I overreacted." But her eyes shone with tears still, even if she refused to let them fall.

"Audrey." He stood and stepped around his desk to her. "I would not kill you." His voice was a low whisper, and his fingertips brushed her cheek to emphasize his point.

She blinked rapidly to clear her tears and sighed. "I know, sir." _And now she is back to 'sir.' What have I done?_

They stood facing each other in silence once again, her face showing confusion and his perfectly calm and in control. "But sir, what is so _horrible_ about me going to Middle Earth?"

Legolas considered this for a moment. Truthfully, his initial reaction had been from his gut, and he had no reason to doubt her if she said she would leave him alone. _But why would she wish to come, save for me?_

"There is nothing horrible if you do not mean to follow me. I was surprised. And I cannot think why you would want to go."

She laughed, but that laugh was tinged with bitterness. "I would not follow you. You are a good teacher, and I would hope to see you sometimes, but I would go for my own freedom."

"But Audrey, it is a different world. Besides me, you would know no one. And you would know nothing of the customs and cultures. How could that provide you with freedom?"

"Because I wouldn't have to be me anymore!" she burst out.

_She wouldn't have to be _her_ anymore? There went all my hopes of Audrey not being an average teenage girl. _"All girls your age experience a longing to be someone different." His tone bordered on condescending as he sought to end the conversation. "That is not a reason to move to another world." With that he turned to go back to his papers.

"You _don't_ know what it's like here!" She was desperate for him to understand, but Legolas merely laughed at her. "_Everyone_ says that, Audrey. Everyone."

"Oh, really? And does everyone know that they're smarter than all the other girls in their school, but when they turn twenty, they will get married like all those girls? Does everyone know that no matter how smart or driven they are, they will be forced into society as someone's wife, practically a possession? Does everyone know that their dreams are going to be ripped from them simply because that is how life works?"

"You do not have to get married. You could become a teacher, which is quite an admirable profession. All of the teachers here are females, save me, and none of them are married."

"Now, yes, but once they all were. They were all at the top of their classes at excellent finishing schools like this one. But they all got married and left behind the scholarly world. When their husbands died, they were given the opportunity to teach at a finishing school. But they cannot do research. Ever."

"Audrey, I find it hard to believe that this school would be so academically rigorous without having a higher purpose than that of a finishing school."

Audrey was incensed. "Believe it." she hissed. "I will be a slave to some man's whims in no more than a few months. I will marry and leave behind my 'girlish' notions of learning and reading. I will be expected to entertain my husband's friends and have his children. This school prepares us for an academic life, a life that doesn't exist here! Now can you see why I don't want to be here?"

"But that is such a waste! It would be like my father making me train with a bow and then never allowing me to use one!"

"Yes. That is what it is like."

Legolas felt a pang of remorse strike his heart. This girl, who was obviously a genius, was going to be forced to abandon the life she loved, and he had laughed at her.

"So your research is not simply to help me? It is for your benefit as well?"

Audrey's anger dissipated. "That's right."

Legolas smiled. "Well, I suppose we should stop wasting precious time and get to work."

"You mean," Audrey faltered. "You mean you will help me? And you will let me go to Middle Earth?"

"That is exactly what I mean."

Audrey squealed and threw her arms around his waist. _By the Valar, this girl has surprised me more in the past few days than I have ever been in four thousand years! _He patted her back softly, but then her scent of roses drew him in and his arms encircled her of their own volition. _If only the Headmistress could see me now,_ he mused.

They broke apart, Audrey's face shining with hope, and Legolas grinned. "Come, Audrey, to the books!"

She mirrored his grin. "It's like a battle cry, Legolas, albeit a strange one. But yes, to the books!"

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Review if you wish! Thanks for reading!


	5. In Which Legolas Cannot Sleep

New chapter! Hopefully I will have another one up this week to make up for the fact that I took so long on this one. In case you don't remember, Claire is the Headmistress of the school.

Kissin Concern--Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy!

Dora-the-elda--Thanks! I don't think he's going to find a way back quickly (if he does at all...I haven't decided yet.) I definitely wouldn't want Legolas to seem stupid!

GaaraOfTheSand1--Thanks! I would also hate to be in her position. Although going to Middle Earth sounds like it's definitely the better choice.

Grey Pigeon--Thanks for the advice! I actually just finished reading Grimm's Fairytales! They're rather gruesome, aren't they? At any rate, I may be using them at some point. I'm not sure though. I've read a lot of other fairy tales too, so we'll see!

unfaithful444--So they're a bit nerdy...

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Legolas and Audrey were only able to get through a few pages of one of his older Sindarin books, but he was still hopeful. She was quite a thorough researcher, and quick too. Audrey had taken careful notes of everything, even though he was sure she remembered it without writing it down. _After all, she could recall specific details in notes she had taken before and she didn't even have them with her. _

They had skipped lunch in their enthusiasm, but Audrey had protested that she did not need dinner either. She had told Legolas that husbands expected thin, pretty wives, and she could at least be one of the two. Her tone was final enough to stop him from objecting, but he guilted her into eating anyway.

_Still,_ Legolas thought,_ the way she said it—all quiet and matter-of-fact—was rather unsettling. And Eru, I almost promised her she would not have to get married. _

And so Legolas laid awake, lost in his thoughts. He had never gone to sleep easily, but having things to think about only made sleep less likely.

He glanced at the clock to see that it was almost two in the morning. But it was the clock itself, rather than the lateness of the hour, that made him frown. It was an old grandfather clock, probably an antique by now, given to him by his last lover almost two hundred years ago. He did not regret his time with her—Maria. She had been a lovely woman, but he had not realized how long it had been until he saw the clock.

He almost laughed out loud at his own irritation. _By the Valar, I want a woman almost as much as I want to go back to Middle Earth! _

Unlike the problem of how to get home, this was a problem he could solve. Being an elf, he could have almost any woman he chose, and many of the teachers, as well as the Headmistress, had subtly offered.

But for some reason he did not understand, this idea made him feel disgust more than anything else. Never before had he felt disgust at the thought of taking a mortal lover. _After all, I am not bonded and Claire is quite a beautiful woman._

With that he sighed. _Alright, I will talk to Claire when she returns in a couple of weeks. _

Legolas lay sleepless and motionless for another hour until he heard the cottage door open. _Strange, I have not heard Audrey moving around. _

He rose from his bed and crept silently out into the hallway to find the door just being pushed shut. Still noiseless, he hurried down the hall. Reaching the door, he almost immediately opened it and went out before catching himself. He was clad only in loose leggings riding low on his hips. So he pulled on boots and threw a cloak over his back. He hesitated before deciding on his knives as well, and he slung the belt around him so the blades rested on his hips.

This still left his chest mostly bare, but he did not think the cold would bother him too much. He glanced down at himself before going outside and just barely stopped himself from laughing. _Quite the picture I make. If only I had some tribal paint to complete it. _

He opened the door slowly and stepped outside. The first thing he noticed was the snow. It was falling again, but more gently than the day before. It was the type of snow that delighted everyone, and unconsciously, he relaxed.

The second thing he noticed was Audrey. While he looked comical in his attempt to dress for the snow, she looked rather graceful. _And extremely cold. _She was wearing a thin-strapped nightgown, one that looked to be made of silk and came to her knees. On her feet were small cloth slippers that were currently soaked through.

It was dark, but the falling snow reflected the little light there was. Audrey must have been soaked; her bare arms seemed to glisten. Legolas was breathless for a second, gazing at her back, until he remembered that she would probably contract pneumonia if she stayed as she was.

_Maybe she is sleepwalking_, he thought as he padded over to her. He topped behind her and called her name.

"Audrey."

She turned around to face him, her eyes sparkling and her hair dripping. Her face was wet, but he could not tell if it was snow or tears.

"Are you crying?" His voice broke the hush of the night once again.

"The snow was so lovely. And I—" she stopped and brushed off her cheeks with one small hand. "Yes, I was crying."

"We should go inside before you freeze to death." He turned to head back to the door and barely heard her voice.

"Please."

He turned back toward her and indicated that she continue.

"May I just stay for a little longer? I can't sleep."

He considered this for a moment. _Well, if she gets sick, it's her own fault. _

"Would you like me to leave you alone?"

"No. You can stay." And she turned back away from him to face the forest once more.

Legolas was momentarily surprised by her refusal to go inside. But he watched her and saw her shiver slightly. _She really is going to get hypothermia or something if she stays out here. _

So he walked up to her and wrapped her in his cloak. His arms went around her tiny frame, and he could feel her hair dripping. He pulled her back until she was flush against him, her bare shoulders resting on his bare chest. He was reminded of his earlier thoughts about finding a lover when he smelled her scent of roses that still lingered under the smell of snow, but he banished the thought from his mind. Instead he rested his chin on the top of her head as he felt her relax against him.

They stood motionless, letting the snow fall, until the sun's first rays crept over the treetops.

* * *

Legolas stood reluctantly from his bath, letting the still warm water drip down him. He had forced Audrey to come inside after the sun rose. As soon as the warm air inside had hit her, she began to shiver. Only then had he realized that her lips were completely blue and there were pieces of ice frozen in her hair.

She had laughed when she glimpsed herself in the mirror, and then Audrey went to take a bath. She said she would meet him in the study afterward.

Legolas finished dressing and observed his long blonde hair in the mirror. It was still dripping and he knew from experience that it would do so all day if he left it mostly down. It was the reason he usually bathed at night. So he decided to forego his usual warrior braids this morning. He did not think Audrey would care. Instead he plaited his hair in one long braid down his back, so it would not drip all over him.

After doing so, he made his way to the study. He opened the door and was grateful to see that the fire was lit. But instead of Audrey being at her table where he expected, she was curled up on the floor by the fire, wrapped in a blanket. There were two cups in front of her, both steaming.

He went to stand next to her and she glanced up at him and offered him a mug. "Tea? I thought it would be nice after last night."

Her face was flushed from warming up so quickly and her eyes were twinkling in the shifting light. _Eru, she looks so young. _Legolas nodded and sat next to her, taking his mug and sipping from it.

"I know we should probably be working," she began, "but I figured a few minutes break wouldn't be so bad."

He glanced over at her only to see a yawn stretching her face. "Tired, Audrey?"

"No," she said sheepishly.

"You know it's understandable. You were up in the cold all night."

"So were you, and—" He cut her off.

"I am very tired. And since elves need significantly less rest than humans, you must be exhausted."

"I can stay awake."

He laughed softly at her stubbornness. "Perhaps we should both rest for an hour or so. I wouldn't want you to fall asleep over the books."

"I _said_ I can stay awake!" But her protest was broken by another yawn. Legolas took her mug from her hands and placed it on the floor. With one arm he pulled her close to his side.

"Sleep, Audrey. I will wake you up in a little while." She frowned, and he guided her head gently onto his shoulder. He leaned his head against her own and felt her relax into him as she had done earlier.

"Sleep, my lovely girl," he murmured into her hair.

_My lovely girl?_ He questioned himself. The words had slipped out before he could stop himself, but thankfully he had said it so quietly that she hadn't heard. He almost forced himself to get up and leave her, but her obvious comfort stopped him.

_Eru, as soon as I have some time alone, I need to figure this out! _But until then, he was content to rest peacefully by the fire with Audrey in his arms.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	6. In Which Legolas is Very Angry

So, since I got 6 reviews and 65 hits in one day, and since I felt extra-motivated after work, I'm updating quickly for once! And I MIGHT be updating really fast again (but don't think this is going to start a trend...I do have to work most of the time). A quick warning: there is a reason this story is rated M. This chapter is M (and I'm not going to bother restating this, so be warned for future chapters as well). If you don't like it, don't read it.

Maren L P, Kissin Concern, and willabeth0906--Thanks!

Dora-the-elda--Thanks! About the elves...you will just have to wait and see. IF (and that's a big if) they do get back to Middle Earth, there may or may not be elves still there. (And it's been 2000 years, not 20.) I'm taking Tolkien's works as somewhat correct, but in my story, he doesn't know everything. So who's to say that there aren't still some elves there? And time may not flow the same way in Middle Earth, so it may not have been 2000 years there. I know this doesn't really say anything, but I don't want to give it away. :)

unfaithful444--Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I read some books that have the chapters that way (Patricia Wrede's books I believe) and I like it.

GaaraOfTheSand1--Thanks! She was crying because the situation is frustrating to her and she doesn't like to show her feelings around people. Hence, going outside to be alone.

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Legolas was lying in almost exactly the same position as he had been the night before. Once again, sleep evaded him. Instead of being restless and thoughtful, however, he was consumed with anger.

The day had progressed with Audrey and Legolas resuming their research after napping briefly in front of the fire. But Legolas had been distracted all day. It had started out as a mere irritation; he would be trying to translate a passage of Sindarin for Audrey and lose his place because the firelight had struck her hair and made it shine. But he shook himself out of these moments and attributed them to his exhaustion. He had been sure that once he was well-rested, Audrey's hair would cease to be quite so captivating.

But during lunch, he had only become more distracted. Audrey had sliced an apple for them to eat, and he was suddenly struck by how graceful her hands truly were. A second later, he was mentally berating himself.

After lunch, his distraction had continued to the point that Audrey noticed. At first she merely frowned in his direction when she noticed his looks, but after a few hours, she had called him on it.

"Is something wrong?" she had asked, concern furrowing her brow.

He had been so startled that he had nearly shouted his protest. "I—no! Why would you think that?"

"Legolas, you're staring at me."

"I am not staring at _you_. You are merely sitting in the direction in which I am staring. I'm concentrating is all." With his haughty reply he had lowered his head back to the pages of the manuscript he was perusing. She hadn't questioned him again, even though he had stared at her for most of the afternoon, but he knew how stupid his response must have sounded.

After dinner, Audrey had protested that she was tired and had gone immediately to her room. However, he had heard her moving around in a way that seemed restless, and he suspected she was merely avoiding him because he was unsettling her.

At any rate, Legolas had retired to his room as well, intent on bathing and going to bed immediately afterward. He had been confident that the bath and sleep would rid him of his newfound obsession with Audrey.

But it had not. During his bath, he had been so distracted that he had nearly ended up putting bathroom cleaner instead of shampoo in his hair. In the end, he had been lucky enough to notice only because he dropped the bottle before he used it.

After all that, Legolas went to bed furious at himself. _Eru, I am acting like a child all because of some little girl! _

He admitted to himself that Audrey was beautiful in her own way, but hers was not the type of beauty he was normally attracted to. She was so small and seemed so frail, and he had always preferred women who looked as though they were a little on the athletic side. He really could not understand where his attraction to her stemmed from.

He supposed her good qualities were that she smelled of roses, her eyes, and her hair. Today was the first day since the beginning of the break that she had not pulled her hair up into a bun, and he had noticed its luster, particularly in the firelight. _And her eyes are green, not like green eyes, but like the actual color green. _

Still, he had always seen her as a particularly mousy little girl. He did not really wish to change that impression now. Especially since he was stuck alone with her for the next two weeks, and judging from her behavior, he was beginning to frighten her.

He tried to ignore the issue, but random images of her kept popping into his head: the way she had turned to face him in the snow, her eyes twinkling as she offered him a mug of tea in front of the fire, the way she had bitten her lip in concentration while reading, the feel of her shoulders leaning into his chest.

He stopped himself. _This is getting way out of hand! I am not some horny elf of two centuries. I am Legolas Thranduillion, Prince of Mirkwood, four thousand years old! I have had fifty-six lovers, and this girl does not begin to compare to even the worst of them! _

He did feel a little better after mentally shouting at himself, although he was not entirely sure Audrey didn't compare. But he was finally able to put that thought aside and fall into a deep sleep that he felt he had thoroughly earned.

* * *

It was four days later, and Legolas was very happy that his little mental chat had worked. He no longer viewed Audrey as someone to compare to his former lovers. Now she was simply his student again.

He was also extremely happy that she did not seem to be frightened of him at all. She had seemingly accepted his odd behavior as exhaustion and promptly forgotten about it. They were making good progress on their research, and Legolas almost dared to hope that he would be in Middle Earth within the month.

He was in his room preparing for bed when a soft knock sounded on his door.

"Come in," he called, expecting Audrey to have some question about the manuscript he had translated for her earlier.

But he noticed there was nothing in her hands as she entered. In fact, she looked as though she had already been sleeping for an hour or so; her hair was loose about her shoulders and slightly mussed, and she was dressed a nightgown similar to the one she had gone outside in several nights ago. He was pleased to note that the sight of her in the nightgown did not entice him in the least. His eyes travelled up to her face, and he noted that she looked rather nervous.

"Hello," she murmured before dropping her gaze to the floor and sighing. Legolas raised an eyebrow at her, but he greeted her with a 'hello' of his own.

They stood for several moments in a rather tense silence, Legolas growing more concerned by the second. Finally, he could not take it anymore and he questioned her.

"Audrey, what is it?"

She gaped like a fish for a few moments before she could find the words. "I just feel like such an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," he replied instantly. "What's wrong?"

"It's just…" she trailed off.

"You know you can tell me whatever you need, Audrey."

She looked into his eyes for a long moment, gathering her courage. "It's not something I need to tell you."

"What is it then?"

"This." And she marched up to stand directly before him, took his face in her hands, leaned up on her toes, and kissed him firmly on the mouth.

Legolas was utterly shocked for a moment, and then all his lust for her came crashing back to him. Instead of pushing her away, he gripped her closer and slipped his tongue into her mouth, kissing her back with all that he had. After a few seconds, she pulled away from him, gasping.

Her nervousness returned quickly. "I'm so sorry, Legolas. I shouldn't have done that."

He almost agreed with her, but the feel of her pressed against him had been too much. "Audrey," he whispered, his voice husky. He pulled her back to him and leaned down to brush his lips against her own.

"You want me." It was not a question, and Audrey trembled at the intensity of his gaze.

"Yes," she gasped.

"All of me." His eyes darkened in lust. He could feel the raw need for her thrumming through his veins. If she said no, he did not think he would be able to stand it.

"Oh yes, Legolas."

He flashed her a wolfish grin before kissing her once more. This time she did not pull away. Instead she slipped her hands around his waist and up the back of his shirt, pressing her body as close to his as she could. He guided her toward the bed behind her, pulling up her nightgown as he went. Before she fell backward onto the bed, he pulled it over her head, quickly following her gown by pulling his own shirt off as well.

Her body was young and she was ever so tiny, but he wanted her so badly in that moment. He leaned down on top of her, kissing her deeply. He felt his groin tighten at the feel of her breasts pressing against his skin. Her small hands worked at the laces of his leggings, loosening them expertly, and he stood again to slip them off.

He climbed back on top of her, maneuvering them to the head of the bed. He loved the way she felt so fragile beneath him. One of his hands slipped down her body, caressing her until it reached the apex of her thighs. He felt her there and was surprised to note that she was entirely ready for him.

He broke their passionate kiss to look into her eyes one last time. When he saw no doubt, he positioned himself at her entrance and readied himself for the first thrust that was sure to be heaven.

And then he woke up.

Legolas sat up abruptly in his bed, soaked with sweat, his cock standing to attention. He shivered with lust, and then again as his rage came flooding back. The four days of being able to ignore that lust and then the amazing almost-sex that came afterward was all a dream. And he was furious.

_By the Valar, I was so pleased! And now here I am, back where I started, with an erection that I know will not just go away! _

He flopped back onto his back, gripping the sheets in his clenched fists. Although he knew he needed to bring himself to release, he was so angry that he could not even begin. _And I will_ not_ come at the thought of some child. _

So he lay utterly still for quite a long time, until his aching member ceased throbbing and his lust had been entirely replaced with irritation and anger. Eventually even these began to subside, and frustration was the only thing that remained. He resigned himself to the utter torment that he was sure these next two weeks would bring, and then he decided to try and get some rest once more.

But just as he was settling down to sleep, he heard a noise. He rose from his bed and stalked into the hall, furious again. _Eru, if that is Audrey going out to frolic in the snow again, I swear, I will lock her in her room! _

He flung open his cottage's front door, making no attempt to be quiet and yelled, "Audrey!" But there was no one outside. He heard the noise again, this time from behind him, and he realized it was coming from her room. _This girl is more trouble than she is worth!_

Still completely angry, Legolas slammed his front door rather viciously and marched into her room. His anger faded into pity at the sight he saw.

Audrey was curled into a ball in her bed, asleep. But she was trembling in her sleep, and every few seconds a moan of terror escaped her. Feeling rather remorseful for being so angry when she was merely having a nightmare, Legolas moved to Audrey's side to wake her up.

* * *

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	7. In Which Legolas Gives In

So updating quickly didn't quite work out. But here's a new chapter. I do have a warning though: I'm going on vacation (which means plenty of time to write) but there's no guarantee, I'll have internet. If not, I'll definitely post as soon as I get back!

KissinConcern and willabeth0906--Thanks for the reviews!

Grey Pigeon--Thanks for the review! And don't worry, I liked the dream part best too! ;)

Dora-the-elda--Thanks! Oh, computers...they're so kind and easy to use...NOT! Sometimes mine won't let me type the letter 'e.' I have to copy/paste it! :-P

midnight-flurry--Thanks! And yes, he is very screwed.

Earyende Eleniel--Thanks for the review! And there will definitely be some elf smut soon! :)

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Sitting next to her on the edge of the bed, Legolas gently shook Audrey's shoulder. At first, she did not respond. But suddenly she snapped up, snatching his wrist with her small hand, her eyes wide and fearful.

_By the Valar, she is quick!_ They sat unmoving for a few minutes before Audrey released his wrist and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. She sighed in relief; "I thought you were someone else."

"The person you were dreaming about?" Legolas questioned her softly.

"Yes."

"Audrey, do you often have nightmares?"

"Every night that I sleep." Legolas frowned at her answer, and she continued. "They used to be silly ones—well, I didn't think they were silly at the time, but they were about monsters under my bed and things like that. But now, they aren't so silly."

Legolas wondered for a minute what horrors could be plaguing a mere school girl, and then he remembered her impending marriage.

"You dream of your future husband?"

"And of my future life."

He took her shoulders and drew her away from him so he could look her in the eye. "Audrey, I know you are upset about getting married and leaving school, but surely your parents would not choose someone awful! They obviously care enough to send you here."

"They send me here because it is the best! Because all the girls here marry well! And marrying well means nothing more than marrying rich to them." She sighed. "Besides, I've already met my future husband. He's very rich and rather boring."

"Does he seem cruel?"

"Well, not exactly, but he's not all that nice either. I'm not worried that he'll go crazy or beat me or something; he doesn't seem like the type."

"Then what does worry you?"

"He's so detached! He already treats me like I don't have a mind of my own, and we've only spoken twice. I just—he treats me like an object and it worries me because…" she trailed off.

"Because?"

"Well, because I'm a virgin and if he already treats me like an object then he's just going to use me and it's going to hurt terribly and he's not even going to care and I just don't know what to do!" She said all this so quickly that Legolas could barely understand her, and then she blushed deeply and ducked her head down to his shoulder again.

He drew her into his arms and felt her own slip around his waist, almost moaning when she did. _Oh Eru, why does she _have_ to feel so good?_

He fought himself for control and regained it. They sat silently for a few moments with Audrey's face pressed into his chest. Finally, he could stand the contact no longer and he drew back from her. "I have a solution of sorts."

Her eyes filled with hope in an instant. "What is it?"

"Well, if your husband is not going to care, then you just find a nice boy to sleep with before you get married. Then your husband will not be able to hurt you, at least not as easily." Legolas smiled, impressed with coming up with a good plan. But Audrey's face fell, and then she laughed rather bitterly.

"Legolas, thank you for trying, but that's a stupid idea."

"Stupid?" he spluttered. "It's fool proof!"

"Yeah, except that until the day before the wedding, I will be here. At school. An all-girls school. Where am I supposed to find a 'nice boy'?"

Legolas froze, remembering he was the only male currently in residence at the school. _I'm here! And I'm very nice! NO! I will _not_ be responsible for deflowering one of my students! _

"Alright, it's not a very good idea." He looked down upon her sadly. "I just wish I could help."

She smiled up at him. "Don't you worry too much. We're going to find a way to Middle Earth soon, I know it!"

"And if we do not?"

"Well, I will run away," she said with a note of optimism in her voice.

Legolas ached to kiss her in that moment, but he stood and walked over to the door instead. "I should leave you to your rest." He turned to exit the room and was stopped by her protest.

"Stay. I'll sleep better if you do."

Legolas' head spun at this admission. He felt his entire back grow stiff, and he knew he needed to tell her that he could not, that it was inappropriate, anything but yes. But he turned back into the room and went back to her.

* * *

A few hours later, near dawn, Legolas woke to find Audrey nestled in his arms, her head pillowed on his shoulder. And he was horrified to realize he had another erection. Thankfully, Audrey was not yet awake, and he was fairly sure he could slip away quietly. But when he moved to slip her head off of his shoulder, she stirred.

Legolas froze, half out of her bed, his erection straining against his sleep trousers. _If she sees me like this, I'm dead. _

"Where are you going?" she murmured, barely opening her eyes.

"To the bathroom. I'll be right back." He stroked her hair as he spoke, trying to maintain a calm air. She nodded sleepily, evidently unaware of his affliction, and returned to slumber.

He walked uncomfortably until he entered his bathroom, and then he removed his pants and sank down to the cool tile floor nude. _I do not have enough time to wait for this one to go away on its own, and she will notice if I shower. _

And so, hating himself, Legolas reached a hand down to grasp his straining erection. The contact made him gasp, and it brought images of his dream back into his mind as he stroked himself to release.

But his dream had changed drastically; instead of Audrey being bold and forward, she was shy. And Legolas was no longer desperate. His touches were gentle, his kisses light and soft. It confused him for he had never been a particularly gentle lover. In his mind, he penetrated her and felt her stiffen as her barrier broke. And, thinking of her virginity, he arched his back and came.

When he had come down from the high his orgasm lent him, he cleaned himself and got dressed. Although he was loathe to return to Audrey's bed, he had promised her he would, so he left to cross the hall into her room. But before he could do so, one thought gave him pause. _When I am finally with her, I must be gentle._

Thus, knowing he intended to make her his own one day, he entered her room and took her into his arms once more.

He felt awful holding her when he was planning to take her virginity, and he knew she could tell something was wrong when she asked if he was alright.

He closed his eyes briefly, contemplating his answer, and then lied to her. "I miss my home."

Legolas was grateful that she chose not to question him. Instead she slung one arm across his chest and went back to sleep.

* * *

Legolas was still feeling rather disgusted with himself as he prepared their dinner that evening. They had slept late into the morning, dreamless and very thankfully erectionless. Upon waking, they had resumed research almost immediately, and Legolas did not think their day had been very productive.

Audrey had been reading a manuscript she had brought from the library. But when he had asked, she only said it was nothing for him to worry about. Of course, this only made him worry more. Just before dinner, she had sprung from her seat with her notes and ran out of the cottage, calling back to him that she would be back in a few minutes.

_And now, here I am, sulking in my kitchen like a child. _

As he was setting the table, Audrey came flying back into the cottage. He heard her running down the hall and then she burst into his kitchen. She was slightly out of breath, and she was beaming.

Her smile irked him, and his irritation was evident as he asked her what she was so happy about.

But she did not seem bothered. "I've done it!"

"Done what?"

"I've sent the elves a letter!" She grabbed utensils from the drawer and danced around the table as she laid them down.

Legolas was dumbfounded. "What elves?!"

She laughed at his expression and then began to explain. "All the fairytales I read came from one part of the country, and Tolkien happened to mention its beauty and seclusion in the manuscript I read today. What more could elves who were stuck here want? If there are elves here still, and I believe there are, then they are sure to be there. And so I wrote a letter, tied it to a pigeon, and sent it to them!"

With this statement and a rather triumphant expression, she sat in her seat.

"What did you say?" Legolas questioned.

"I kept it short. I asked who they were. I said you were here, looking for a way back to Middle Earth, and told them I was your student. I asked if they had any information that could help us and expressed a desire to visit and see them. That's all."

Legolas was torn between kissing her and choking the smug look off her face. "Do you really think they'll be there?"

"Oh yes! And I'm sure they'll respond since they'll know you're an elf too!"

The kitchen was silent for a few long seconds, and then Legolas threw back his head and laughed. Audrey joined him in laughter, and he swept her into a hug that turned into a dance around the kitchen.

When they had both calmed down sufficiently, they sat down to dinner. Legolas had wanted to pull out a bottle of his father's finest wine that had been transported with him, but Audrey refused, saying they should save the celebration until they got a response. Still, he was the happiest he had been all day, and the news was enough to make him agree to help her ward off nightmares by sleeping in her room again.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	8. In Which Legolas Sees a Suspicious Bird

So I am so, so sorry for waiting so long to update! My life is incredibly busy right now because we're moving, so I can't promise another chapter anytime soon. However, don't worry, because I head back to school at the end of August and chapters will come much more frequently after that!

unfaithful444--There is going to be some lemon; sorry! But thanks for continuing to read!

La-p'tite-tete--Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Thanks also to Dora-the-elda and Kissin Concern for their reviews!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

It had been nearly a week since Audrey had sent the letter, and Legolas thought they had settled into a mostly comfortable routine. They still did a little research each morning on the subject of connections to Middle Earth to satisfy Audrey, but they had taken to going on long walks through the snowy forest during the afternoons. It was on these walks that Legolas discovered Audrey's fondness for nature; she already knew much about plants and surviving in the wild, and he had no doubt she would be able to keep up with him if they journeyed to see the elves.

After dinner, Legolas usually built a fire while Audrey prepared some of her excellent tea, and then they sat and talked. Most of their conversations were rather unimportant, but much to his chagrin, Legolas found himself trusting her with things he usually kept to himself. _Maybe it is because she accepts what I say without prying._

At any rate, when Audrey was too tired to maintain conversation, they went to bed. The first few nights had been exceedingly awkward, but Legolas had since grown accustomed to sleeping with her. He had even almost gotten used to slipping away sometime in the night to relieve his usual erection; at least he no longer woke Audrey when he did so.

Legolas did not think that Audrey knew of his burgeoning lust for her. _Well, if she does know, she certainly keeps it to herself. _

Although he ached more than ever to make Audrey his own, he did have a little more hope for his situation. Perhaps it was due to Audrey's bubbling confidence that there were elves who would respond to their letter, but something helped him make light of his desire for her. It was still ever present, but it no longer made him so disgusted with himself. _After all, she is nearly a woman, and she does not act like a child. _

Audrey shifted against him, tightening her arm about his chest. _At least I am helping her, _he mused. She still did not sleep much, but what sleep she did get was restful.

He glanced down on her small, dark head and a thought struck him. _What would Claire do if she saw us now?_

He knew it would cause incredible problems for both of them if the Headmistress found out. _Eru, not only is she my student, but she's also engaged!_

Legolas wasn't sure what would happen at the break's end; he knew Audrey would move back to her dorm and he certainly didn't want her to leave.

But sleeping in a student's bed was most certainly grounds for termination. _Especially if one views said student in a less than innocent manner. _

_I suppose I will have to worry about that when it comes. I shall simply have to make sure Audrey doesn't tell her friends. _

With this thought, Legolas almost laughed out loud. _Eru, Audrey likes the other girls here about as much as I do. _Perhaps he would have nothing to worry about.

Having temporarily shelved one issue, Legolas returned to the thing that had captivated his thoughts for the past week: Audrey's letter to the elves. Although he was very glad she had sent it, he wasn't entirely sure there were any elves to receive it. She seemed very confident about their response, but Legolas disagreed. _After all, it has been a week, and there hasn't been a response._

He supposed there was as much reason to believe there were elves in this world as there was reason to believe there weren't. This did lend him a small measure of hope for his future, but he was also sure that he wouldn't know the elves. None of the elves he had been acquainted with, or even the ones he had merely heard of, had mysteriously disappeared from Middle Earth during his time there. He felt rather apprehensive of any letter they received; perhaps the elves would simply disbelieve them.

Even if the elves did not know him, Legolas was confident they would allow him to join them, if only due to his status as Prince of Mirkwood. As for Audrey, he did not think they would allow her into their community. If they were being cautious about humans discovering them, then they would have no reason for her to join them. _I hope that does not happen, but I shall have to warn her that these elves may not be so friendly. _

Audrey shifted again, breaking his train of thought. His gaze drifted down to rest upon her, and he flinched when her breath began to blow against one sensitive nipple. The sensation quickly aroused him, and he began his nightly trek to his own bathroom to relieve himself, leaving Audrey's arms wrapped around a pillow in place of his chest.

* * *

Later that morning, Legolas and Audrey sat at the kitchen table in silence, splitting an orange between them. His worries from the night before had not left him, but he did not know how to bring them up to her. _Eru knows I do not want to crush the few hopes she has._

He sighed. _I suppose I shall simply have to tell her. It would not do to receive a letter and tell her after she knows there are elves waiting for me. _

His mind set, Legolas placed his last slice of orange on his plate. "Audrey, there is something we must discuss," he said quite solemnly.

"What about?" She met his eyes and hers were filled with curiosity.

"About what will happen if the elves do respond."

She nodded for him to continue, and he sat for a few moments, choosing his words.

"There is a possibility that they will not be open to a human living amongst them," he intoned slowly. But the look on Audrey's face made him stop; she was smiling at him rather smugly.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"Did you think that I didn't realize this already?" Legolas gaped at her confession. "I'm fully prepared for them not to accept me into their society. I hope they do," at this she paused with a wistful look in her eyes, "but I know that I am not one of them. I wrote that letter so you would have somewhere to go. If I get to go as well, that's just a bonus."

"You sent the letter for me?" His voice was barely louder than a whisper and thick with emotion.

She smiled back at him. "Of course. Now shouldn't we be heading to your study?"

Legolas wanted to question her about so many things in that moment, but he knew she did not want any questions. So he nodded and helped her clean up their breakfast before heading to the study for more research.

* * *

After a long day of research and walking through the forest, none of which he could concentrate on, Legolas was quite happy to be returning to his cottage for dinner and bed. He had unconsciously picked up the pace as they were walking back, leaving Audrey a few hundred yards behind him. When he had realized this, he turned back to wait, but she had waved him on.

As he approached his cottage, he noticed a bird sitting on his snow-free stoop. At first he assumed it was merely there for warmth, and he stopped to observe it from a distance. It was some kind of a whitish bird, and it seemed like it had a twig of some sort grasped in its beak. This struck him as odd, because no birds were building their nests yet. _Perhaps it is food? _

During his observations of the bird, Audrey caught up to him. When she stood beside him, she asked why he was not continuing inside, and he nodded toward the door. She looked at it, narrowing her eyes, and then shrieked and ran towards it.

Legolas followed slowly, completely ignorant of her purpose in scaring it, but the bird did not fly away. Instead it waited patiently for her until she removed the twig thing from its beak. All of a sudden, realization hit him. _The letter!_

Legolas and Audrey dashed inside to the kitchen, leaving a trail of wet prints from the boots which neither of them removed in their haste to see the elves' response. Once they were in the kitchen, she handed him the twig thing, which was really two pieces of parchment wrapped into a cylinder. His hands were shaking as he unwound it and began to silently read its contents.

_Dear Legolas, _

_YOU'RE HERE TOO?? Good job in not talking to us for centuries! _

_Seriously though, how long have you been here? You are always welcome to come stay with us! We've included a map on the other slip of parchment. You'd better write us back soon, or come visit!_

_By the way, we're very impressed with this Audrey girl. She writes very well in Sindarin, and obviously she's smart to find us out here. She's welcome to come too, as long as she can keep her mouth shut (we'll defer to your judgment on this one). _

_With all our good wishes, _

_Elladan and Elrohir, Lords of Acadia_

_P.S. You can be a lord too, if you wish. _

Legolas' heart was pounding so hard he thought he might faint. _I hoped for elves, but my two best friends! _He stared at the Elvish script on the parchment for another minute before releasing the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Finally he was able to tear his eyes away from the letter.

"Well?" Audrey asked. "What does it say?"

Legolas threw back his head and laughed. "It is from Elladan and Elrohir. They invite us to Acadia."

Audrey's eyes widened and then she threw her arms around him.

"You know Audrey, there is only one thing we can do now." Legolas removed himself from her embrace, smiling rather wickedly down at her.

"What's that?"

He pulled out the bottle of wine they had been saving. "Celebrate."

For those of you who were wondering, Acadia is the name of a national park in Maine (it's one of the more beautiful places I've ever seen). I don't think it means anything in Elvish; I chose it because I like the name. :)

Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	9. In Which Legolas Is Overcome

To my faithful and wonderful readers:

All I will say about this chapter is this: please do not hate me for this one. It will get better. I promise!

Thanks to Grey Pigeon, La-p'tite-tete, Elfie Gurl, unfaithful444, and Kissin Concern for your reviews!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Legolas and Audrey were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, the letter and two empty bottles of his father's wine between them. Much to her amusement, Legolas had told her story after story of his antics with Elladan and Elrohir, including the time they had placed frogs in Elrond's bed. She had long been rather giggly.

"So Legolas, when are we going to leave for Acadia?" Audrey's eyes shone a little too brightly as she took a sip from the third bottle of wine.

Legolas' tried to put on a thoughtful expression, but found that the wine prevented him. Instead he grinned. "Whenever we want! And it's Lord Legolas to you!"

Audrey burst into another fit of giggles. "Isn't a prince better than a lord, though?"

Legolas sighed. "I suppose so. But Mirkwood isn't here, so what else am I supposed to become?"

"You could take over!"

Legolas laughed. "I don't think a forcible takeover of Acadia is quite what we need." He glanced at the clock over the stove to see that it was past midnight. _Eru, I have been telling stories for six hours now!_

His attention diverted back to Audrey when she rose from her chair. "I think we should probably be getting to bed. After all, we have a lot of planning to do." She grinned at him.

"To bed it is," Legolas murmured. He stood and followed Audrey as she meandered down the hall toward her room. For some reason, he felt freer this evening. _Probably all the wine._

He was once again interrupted from his musings when he bumped into a body. He looked down to see Audrey blocking the open doorway to her room.

"Am I not sleeping with you tonight?" he asked her softly. She giggled but did not move, her green eyes sparkling with mirth. _So she is trying to play a trick on me, hmm? _He quirked one eyebrow while trying to think of an appropriate response, but nothing came to mind.

They stood nearly touching for a moment before Legolas realized how incredibly close they were. He could feel the warmth radiating from her and could smell the wine on her breath every time she exhaled. It was exhilarating, being so close to her. Before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss across her lips, and then drew back no more than an inch from her.

_Perhaps I _have_ had too much wine._ She had not reciprocated his kiss, but he studied her. Her lips were slightly parted and she was no longer grinning. Her eyes searched his for some answer and for a second he considered apologizing and leaving her to sleep alone. But his body won out and he swept her into a deep kiss, slipping his tongue past her lips.

Again, she did not respond immediately, but after he had proven he would not give up, she slid her arms to his waist. He began to walk them backwards to her bed, and her finger tips slipped under the sides of his tunic, barely caressing him.

That gentle touch was enough to set his whole body on fire, and what was left of his control was buried under surging lust. As they progressed toward the bed, he tried diligently to unbutton her blouse. However, since he could not stop kissing her, it proved too difficult a task, and he simply ripped it open.

She gasped into his mouth at his boldness, and he felt his leggings tighten significantly. He could not think at all; his whole being was devoted to the sensation of her mouth under his tongue, her small breasts in his hands, her warm body pressed against his.

Her legs hit the back of the bed and she fell backwards. He pressed on top of her, never ceasing to ravage her mouth with his own. Luckily, she was wearing a skirt with thick tights underneath. He felt sure that he was in too aroused to be able to remove pants.

He pushed her tights down around her ankles and stood for a moment to free himself from his too-tight leggings. She was flushed all the way down her chest, and her hands were gripping the sheets tightly. She would not meet his eye, but he was sure she wanted this as well.

With one swift move he pressed himself back onto her and sheathed himself within her. The movement caused her to throw her head back in a loud cry, exposing her neck. He attacked the exposed flesh with fervor, thrusting wildly into her. All too soon, he felt all the nerves in his body center around his elfhood, and he saw stars as he came with a loud cry.

Legolas collapsed on top of the tiny girl, panting as he came down from his high. As soon as he was recovered, he slipped out of her warmth. She watched him under lidded eyes as he went to her wardrobe and fetched a nightgown. He gave it to her, and then headed to his room to change as well, promising his return.

After changing into his sleeping leggings, Legolas slipped back into her room. Audrey was laying under the covers in her nightgown; her ripped blouse was discarded on the floor. He slipped into the bed beside her, and cradling her in his arms, dropped into a deep sleep.

* * *

Legolas woke to a brightly lit room and an empty bed. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, but then the night before came rushing back to him. He smiled to himself; although he had been hasty, he was sure his actions were welcomed. _After all, Audrey likes me._

But that still did not explain why she had not stayed with him. _She has probably begun planning our trip already_, he mused to himself. _She'll surely reprimand me for staying in bed so late. _

With that, he rose and journeyed across the hall to his room. He took a bath and dressed quickly, then headed to the study.

"Sorry I slept so—" he stopped abruptly as he realized the study was empty. _She must be in the kitchen then. _

But no one was there either. Legolas figured she had gone on a walk. It was a bit odd for her to walk in the mornings, but there was no point for more research. He sighed, a little disappointed that she had not invited him, and began to clean up the remnants of the previous evening's celebration.

_By the Valar, we drank a lot of wine!_ Legolas read the letter once more with enthusiasm; it still filled him with hope for his future. Then he picked it up to put it somewhere safe. But underneath the letter was another piece of paper, addressed simply to 'Legolas.'

He recognized the script as Audrey's, and unfolded it to see what she had left him.

_Legolas, _

_I suppose you thought last night was wonderful. Well, it hurt. I can't deny that I did want that to an extent, but I thought you'd at least be gentle and kind. But you weren't. _

_Still, I suppose you got what you wanted. _

_It's probably obvious now to you that I've left. I don't intend upon coming back. Please don't follow me. I have no desire to see you, or any other elf, ever again. Go live with your friends. I'm sure you'll forget about all of this soon enough. _

_Yours, whether or not I want to be, _

_Audrey_

Legolas stared in shock at the piece of paper he clutched in his hands. He thought back to the night before, and all the details came back to him. _Oh Eru, she did not kiss me back! She was a virgin, and I took her without any regard for her pain. _He knew then that all the gasps and cries had not been of pleasure, but of pain and fright.

The bitterness of her note jarred him even more. Audrey had never seemed bitter about her plight; she had been upset and wanted it to change, but she never sank as low as bitterness.

_May the Valar strike me down! I have as good as raped an innocent girl, and now she is wandering around in the woods alone. _

But she did not want him to follow her. Legolas sighed to himself. He fully intended to follow that wish. The confrontation that was sure to happen if he did find her would not be pretty, and he was not sure he was up to it.

Suddenly, he no longer had the heart to plan a voyage to Acadia, and he turned to head back to his room. Once inside, he shut the sun behind the blinds and curled into a ball on his bed, reliving the night before and allowing the guilt to wash over him in wave after wave.

A few hours later, once he was sure he had catalogued every ounce of pain he had caused Audrey, the horror of his actions began to recede a little. But then he thought of her alone in the snowy woods, and all the guilt came rushing back. _Eru, I cannot just leave her there! But she must hate me! _

He lay still for a few more minutes before forcing himself off the bed and into the bathroom. Facing himself in the mirror, he peered into his own eyes and saw guilt. But he also saw resolve. He knew she wished not to see him, but he could not allow her to abandon all of her hope for him. He bounded out of the bathroom and back into the kitchen, stuffing provisions in a sack and grabbing the map.

_I will find her and give her this map. She may go live amongst the elves; I will simply have to wander. I am not worthy of them, or her. _

His resolve set, Legolas grabbed his bow and knives and exited his cottage, knowing he could never return.

* * *

Like I said, please don't hate me! Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	10. In Which Legolas Finds Audrey

So hopefully this chapter will redeem Legolas a bit, as he's not a bad elf. I'm posting quickly to celebrate my fortieth review!

Also, I will be gone for five days, and I doubt I'll write anything, so it may be a long time until my next update. But I'll be at the beach, which is always conducive to good ideas, so we'll see.

La-p'tite-tete--Haha, I'm glad you don't all hate me. I was a little worried there. Hope you like this one!

Grey Pigeon--Your review made me laugh! And don't worry: there is absolutely NO way Audrey will be pregnant. That would SUCK. And Elrohir and Elladan may have some choice words to say about the situation. We shall see! ;)

iheartsupergirl--Thanks! Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Legolas had been following Audrey's trail for four days since leaving his cottage. Needless to say, he was quite impressed with the pace she had set. He was also surprised that tracking her was harder than he had expected; she did leave a trail, but it was quite a faint one. He hadn't seen any evidence of a campsite during the entire time since he had set out from the cottage, and the only reason he was sure he was following her was one stray brown hair caught on a bush a few miles back.

The four days had also given him some time to reconcile his actions with himself, and to come up with a plan on how to address her. He hoped it had given her time to calm down and begin to forgive him, but he did not count on it.

Although he hoped she would eventually forgive him, Legolas' plan remained the same. He would find her and detain her in whatever way possible. _I should hope I do not have to use force, but I will if necessary._

Once she was in a position to listen to him, he would beg her forgiveness and hand her the map. He planned to cite the alcohol as the cause of his actions, and he hoped she would understand. _Especially since the alcohol prevented her from denying me._

After he gave her the map, he would release her and promise to leave her alone. He planned to give her his spare bow as well, in hopes that she could defend herself adequately on the journey. He had also written a letter to Elladan and Elrohir explaining that he was not worthy of their company, but to accept Audrey among them; he would give this to her along with the map.

For the first time since he had begun to feel lust for the girl he felt like he was doing something right for her, and not himself. Legolas could only hope she would accept his actions as retribution, that her bitterness had been assuaged by the long, silent days of her journey.

All of a sudden, he was whipped out of his thoughts by a clump of snow falling on his head. Cursing softly in irritation, he tilted his head down to brush the snow from his hair. While his eyes were focused on the ground, he heard another thump behind him. _I suppose spring is finally coming and the snow begins to melt. That may make my tracking harder. _

Legolas turned to see the size of the snowfall behind him, but he was instead met with emerald green eyes. _Audrey!_

"I have seen you tracking me for most of the day. I asked you _not_ to follow me."

He was shocked by her demeanor; he had expected anger or bitterness from her upon his arrival. Instead her eyes shone with pain and a little bit of fear.

All thoughts of his plan fled from him upon seeing her expression. Instead of calmly asking her to sit down and explaining himself, he could only gasp, "Audrey…"

"Well, elf, I asked you not to follow me. So why are you here?" Her voice was angry, but he could tell it was a front to cover her apprehension.

Legolas opened his mouth to tell her of the map and his letter to the elves of Acadia, but instead what came out was an apology.

"Oh Audrey, I'm so sorry." Then he felt his heart begin to pound painfully in his chest, and he sat down hard to keep himself from swaying on his feet. His eyes prickled uncomfortably and he could not understand why until the first tear slipped unbidden down his cheek. Once it did, he found he could not stop the ones that followed, but he made no sound.

He felt Audrey's eyes upon him, but he could not meet them. She stepped tentatively toward him, then kneeled before him and put one hand on his shoulder.

"You are not here to bring me back then?"

Legolas did not think he could talk around the lump in his throat, so he simply shook his head. But then her fingertips found his face and brushed a few of the tears away from one flawless cheek. With that, the lump won out and he burst into great gasping sobs.

He was nearly hyperventilating and soon became extremely dizzy. It took him a few moments to register that Audrey had wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head to her shoulder.

After a few minutes, he was able to calm himself down. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and pulled away from the girl to meet her eyes finally.

They were no longer filled with pain or fear, but she still did not look happy to see him.

He took a few moments to focus and then he began to speak.

"I'm sorry that I followed you, but I do have a reason. I wanted to bring you the map so you could go to Acadia. I've written a letter to Elladan and Elrohir, and they'll let you stay there. I won't come with you. I don't deserve to."

Audrey's face was a picture of surprise. "But you have to go! They're your best friends! You can't just give up on everything because—"

"Because I raped you!" His voice rose into a shout. "Audrey, my actions were despicable! I have no excuse for what I did and I deserve nothing more than exile!"

She narrowed her eyes and when she spoke, her tone was clipped. "You harmed _me_. _I_ will be the one that decides what you deserve. And running away from me is not a good solution. You _will_ go to Acadia. You'll go, or I'll refuse to go."

"But this is what you want! You wanted a place to live where you could escape marriage; you wanted to go to Middle Earth!" he argued.

"I wanted to go there with you!" she yelled back. The admission seemed to shock her even more than him, and she spoke more softly. "I wanted to be your friend and to see you happy. I wanted to escape, but not to be alone. And now…"

"Now you don't know what you want," he finished for her, miserable and ashamed of himself.

"No. I know. I still want you to come with me. I just want to know…to know why you did it." She drummed up her courage and looked him in the eyes. "What were your reasons?"

He remembered his plan to tell her of drinking too much wine, and he found he could not lie to her. "I dreamt of you," he began in a whisper, but his voice soon found strength. "Of you and I together. It had been so long since I had had a lover, and I was weak. It did not help that you are beautiful, and smart, and ever so kind. And you are so quiet, almost like an elf! For these things, I admired you, and then I desired you. When that letter came, I was so happy and you looked so alive standing in that doorway. I wanted nothing more than to make you happy, but I forgot how. And so I harmed you instead. And I am sorry for it."

Her brow furrowed in thought. "So I suppose your desire is gone then?"

"No." He spoke before thinking and found that it was the truth. "I still desire you, only now I know that I am not worthy of having you."

Legolas expected her to agree with him, to slap him for still wanting her maybe, to do anything but roll her eyes. She stood and pulled him to his feet as well. "Enough with the 'I'm not worthy' crap. You…well, you're my friend, and I will find it in my heart to forgive and forget with time." She turned away from him to continue on her path and he barely caught her last comment. "And perhaps I desired you as well."

The weight on his shoulders was eased slightly by her promise to forgive him, and his heart leaped at her last statement. He wanted to pull her into an embrace, but he knew their relationship was still strained. So he followed her until they reached a suitable site for a camp.

Audrey skillfully built a fire and pulled out a pot to make tea. She passed him a piece of bread that was a bit stale and they sat and waited for the water to boil. Soon Legolas tired of their silence and turned to her.

"What is the plan for going to Acadia then?" he questioned her.

She peered up at him, and he was reminded of how small she was. "I suppose we can go from here. Where is the map?"

He pulled it out of his pack and they examined it together. "Well Audrey, we aren't far off the way that will take us there. Do you need to go back to school for anything?"

"I never want to go back there," she deadpanned. He drew slightly back from her at her tone, and she sighed, tending the fire to avoid his gaze. "I'm sorry, Legolas. It is not just your cottage I don't wish to see. I don't want them to have any chance of finding me and bringing me back to get married either."

"You're not the one who should be sorry."

Her head snapped up to meet his, and her eyes bored into him like knives. She stared at him for a few moments and then opened her mouth. "Let's make a pact: I'll forgive you _if_ you stop apologizing every five minutes. I know you really are sorry."

Legolas was astounded. _Eru, this girl is probably the biggest-hearted person in the entire universe! _

"That sounds acceptable," he replied. She held out her hand, they shook, and then her face lit up in a brilliant grin. It warmed his heart, and for the first time in his long life, he thanked the Valar for bringing him to this world.

They continued their plans, eventually settling on the quickest route to Acadia. Legolas was immensely glad to see she had brought all her notes on getting back to Middle Earth with her; he hoped he could combine their information with that of Elladan and Elrohir. _Perhaps then we will find a way home. _

Night settled around them quickly, and soon they were illuminated only by the firelight. Audrey stood and began to lay out her cloak to sleep upon.

Legolas watched her and realized that she had taken almost nothing with her. _By the Valar, how did she survive four days without a blanket to warm her at night? _

He passed her his cloak and she stared at him, confused. "I do not need it as much as you. The night will be cold and it shall keep you warm."

"So you're going to sleep on the ground?" She sounded skeptical.

He chuckled. "I was planning to keep watch, so no, I will not sleep on the ground."

"There is no need for a watch, Legolas. There are no enemies in this forest, only animals and us."

"You are certain, then?"

"Yes." With that she tried to hand him back his cloak, but he shook his head.

"You still need it more than I do."

She sighed in annoyance. "Legolas, I will not sleep at all if I know you only have snow to lie on. Take the cloak."

"No, Audrey. I won't sleep if I think you are cold."

"There is only one solution then. We will share both cloaks."

Legolas froze in shock. "I…you wish…but—"

"But nothing! We shared a bed for a week before now. This is no different. And we will both be happier with the added warmth."

"Audrey, you trust me to sleep with you still and I—"

"Yes," she cut him off too quickly. "Yes, I trust you. Now come. I'm tired."

Legolas came to her hesitantly and laid down stiffly beside her on the cloak. He tried his hardest not to frighten her, but she slid one arm around his waist and pillowed her head on his shoulder in a way that was all too familiar. He wrapped his own cloak around them and his arms slipped around her of their own volition. He prepared to feel her pull back, but she did not flinch from him, and they drifted off to sleep together.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	11. In Which Legolas Celebrates

Dear Readers,

I am terribly, terribly sorry for waiting such an awful amount of time to update. I can only protest that my life has been very hectic for the past few weeks, as we moved into a new house and I moved to school. But hopefully I will get on some sort of schedule for updating. At any rate, here is a new chapter!

Thank you so much for reading, especially to IheartStewart20, La-p'tite-tete, KissinConcern, and Gemini II!

Dora-the-elda--Thanks for your review! Sorry it took so long for me to update...I understand the holiday thing, as I was at the beach for a while. Hope you enjoy this one!

Grey Pigeon--Thank you so much! I really hope I've managed to create someone who could be real. This is really the first character of my own that I've thought up, and I want her to be someone you could picture meeting on the street. We'll see!

A little note: Picture Acadia as a sort of Rivendell. Elrohir and Elladan designed it, so it has the beautiful stone buildings set into a valley, etc.

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

The journey to Acadia took Legolas and Audrey a week. It was one of the more painful weeks of Legolas' very long life.

_If only I had not fought in the War of the Ring, then it would be the worst, _he thought as they marched silently along the path to the valley. They had spotted the valley from above earlier in the day, and Audrey's gasp of amazement was the only sound he had heard pass her lips for seven days.

_Seven days! I know what I did was wrong, but Eru, that is such a long time. _

Audrey had not broken her word; she was neither accusatory nor openly hostile. But she was completely and utterly silent. When she wanted his help, which was very rarely, she simply pointed to something.

For the first few days, Legolas had thought nothing of it. They took turns navigating during the days, so they often did not walk near each other. After they settled down to a quick dinner and then bed, they were usually both exhausted. And every night, they shared both cloaks, even though the ground was no longer soaked with snow.

But on the fourth evening, Legolas tried to bring up Audrey's marriage. He had asked her what she thought her family would do. Instead of answering him, she simply turned and began to spread out the cloaks. When he had asked her again, she again did not respond.

_I know she probably still needs time to adjust to the situation, but she could have at least spoken a little! _

She continued to ignore his questions for the rest of the evening and the next day. After that, he had simply given up and allowed his irritation with her to grow. By the time they reached the path down into the valley, he was nearly out of his mind.

It was nearing nightfall when the two reached the gate of the settlement. There they were greeted by Elven guards to whom Legolas explained who he was. Thankfully, they had been expected and they were admitted rather quickly.

As they were on their way to see Elladan and Elrohir, the company was halted by Audrey's voice. In halting Sindarin, she asked if it was alright if she simply went to bed, as she was very tired. The guards acquiesced, and one escorted her away from Legolas, presumably to her quarters in Acadia. Legolas would have been angry, but he was so nervous about seeing Elladan and Elrohir again that he did not protest.

After a few short minutes, he arrived in front of a large house at one end of the valley. The guard told him it was the house of the lords and that he was to stay here, and then he departed to return to his post. Legolas stood at the foot of the stairs to the house, peering up at it in apprehension. It was only one story high, but it was built onto one of the mountains. Constructed in similar stone to that in Rivendell, he instantly knew it was where Elladan and Elrohir lived. He took a few calming breaths to settle his nerves, and then he began to walk up the stairs to the door.

However, before Legolas could get more than halfway up the stairs, the door burst open and two tall, dark-haired elves darted out shouting his name. The three of them ended up in a most ungraceful pile at the bottom of the stairs, with Legolas flat on his back and completely robbed of breath.

After he managed to get up, he greeted Elladan and Elrohir in a more dignified manner, and they proceeded to entire his new home.

"We didn't expect you so soon!" Elladan intoned.

"Not that we're not glad you're here!" Elrohir hastily followed.

Legolas laughed. "I just chose to leave school early. I didn't feel as though I had any reason to stay."

"Where's Audrey? Did she not come with you?"

"She's here. She chose to go to bed; I think she was very tired." He hesitated, debating whether or not to tell them the truth. "I did something to anger her as well. I do not think she will enjoy seeing me too much, although I believe she is eager to meet you both."

Elrohir narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Legolas Greenleaf. Doing something to anger a girl? What could _that_ possibly be?"

"Well with his reputation…" Elladan trailed off, chuckling softly to himself.

"She was my student," Legolas nearly growled in response. His elven comrades smirked at his discomfort, but thankfully dropped the subject.

"You know what we need, Elladan?" Elrohir's face was a picture of delight.

"What's that, dear brother?" He gazed at Elrohir for a moment, and then his face too broke out into a grin. When they turned their smiles on Legolas, he knew there would be trouble.

"What mischief are you planning against me now?" _Valar, please do not let it involve Audrey._

"No mischief…" Elladan began.

"Only a feast!" his brother continued. Legolas burst into relieved laughter. "A feast it is, my friends!"

* * *

They had decided to hold the feast the following evening, since Legolas and Audrey had arrived so late. He was very grateful for the night of rest, because he always remembered Elladan and Elrohir's feasts as lasting all night.

_And I was right._

Legolas was currently taking a short break from dancing and drinking. It had long since been night, and the feast was still in full swing. Audrey had retired quite early and without speaking one word to him, much to his chagrin. She was quite polite to the other elves, however, and he had been irked to see her laughing with one of the guards during dinner.

_I really ought to stop thinking about her. She obviously does not want to speak with me, so why should I waste my time? _

Setting his shoulders, he stood and walked back toward the dance floor. Grabbing a glass of the finest elven wine, he quaffed it while locating someone to dance with. He spied a beautiful blonde elf standing near floor; he had seen her dancing with several different elves throughout the evening. But now her eyes settled on him as well, and her lips curved up into an almost lascivious smile. He nodded at her to indicate that she meet him on the floor, and they began to dance together.

* * *

Legolas awoke with a pounding headache. He was disoriented for a moment, then remembered that he was in his quarters in Acadia. Glancing out the window, he decided that it must have been at least noon. Blinking, he turned to get out of bed, but a head of blonde hair that was not his own stopped him. It was the girl he had danced with from the night before. He did not remember much of what had happened after the dance, probably as a result of draining several glasses of wine in quick succession, but he supposed he must have invited her back.

_Eru, what was her name? _

She stirred at his movement, and then a knock on the door had them both alert. She turned to look at him, a question in her eyes.

"It's only Elladan or Elrohir," he murmured in assurance before calling to the knocker to enter.

But instead of his elven friends, Audrey pushed the door open tentatively. It could only have been a few seconds before she turned hurriedly and slammed the door behind her, but to Legolas it felt like an eternity. He could not shake her betrayed look from his mind.

"Who was that?" The elleth in his bed shook with mirth at Audrey's quick departure. "Your student?"

"Get out," Legolas deadpanned, rising from the bed and beginning to dress.

She lay for another moment with her mouth hanging open quite unattractively in shock before recovering. "Excuse me?" Her eyes blazed fiercely at him. But Legolas had no time for her anger.

"You heard what I said." He finished tying his leggings, pulled his tunic over his head, and deciding against his boots, headed for the door. "I want you gone before I'm back." With that, he left her naked in his bed and hurried after Audrey.

He ran down the stairs and almost directly into Elladan, who was waiting at the bottom for him.  
To his left, he could see the door to the library was closed, which struck him as odd. He was distracted however, by the odd mixture of anger and curiosity that was evident on his friend's face.

"Where's Audrey?" he spat out.

Elladan cocked one eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, come on Elladan. I have no time and I need to speak with her."

"Well currently she's in the library with Elrohir—"

Legolas lunged for the library before Elladan could finish, but found himself flung backward against the stairs.

"I wasn't through with you," Elladan growled at him. "Like I said, she's in our library, but I do not think she would want to see you right now."

"I know she was upset to see that other girl in my bed, but really!"

"Upset? She's crying, and she does not strike me as a girl who cries easily."

"She's crying?" Legolas was shocked. _I did not do anything to her! What could possibly have her that upset?_

Any further conversation was cut off by the door to the library opening. Elrohir stepped out of the room, his eyes narrowing as they landed on Legolas.

"I believe the lady wishes to speak with you." Elrohir's voice was clipped. "I would not make her cry again, if I were you."

Legolas had never seen his friends so angry. He stood shakily and slipped through the door into the library. It slammed behind him.

Audrey was sitting on the opposite side of the room, dwarfed by the armchair in which she slumped. She met his eyes as he entered the room and watched him silently as he crossed it to sit near her. There was no evidence of tears on her face, but he did not doubt that Elladan had been telling the truth.

"Audrey," he began, "I am sorry I upset you."

"Sorry." Her voice was flat. "You're sorry."

"Yes," Legolas murmured. They sat for a few moments in an uncomfortable silence before Legolas could take it no longer.

"What else do you want me to say?"

"There is nothing you can say. I would rather you had not done it."

"There was nothing wrong with what I did last night. And you should not have come bursting into my room early in the morning!"

A bitter guffaw escaped her. "I knocked, and it is after noon."

"You still did not have to come."

"I came to apologize."

Four simple words rocked Legolas to the core. He closed his eyes because he could not bear to meet hers anymore, and she continued.

"I should not have ignored you while we were journeying. I was just so upset." Her voice broke on the upset, and she needed a few breaths to calm herself. "I didn't know how to deal with you being there, especially since I forgave you so easily. And I was scared, because I still wanted you. Terrified, actually. I still am." She spoke calmly, but when he opened his eyes, hers were sparkling with tears.

"You still wanted me? What do you mean by that?" She said nothing, only looked at him with meaning in her eyes. Realization struck him and he jerked back in his chair. "You want me physically? You want to be mine?"

Her answer was an anxious hiss. "Yes."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	12. In Which Legolas Finds Some Peace

Yaaay a new chapter! This one is a little longer than my others too!

IheartStewart20--Thanks for reviewing! And we all know how girls get hung up on people. Audrey's no different.

Dora-the-elda--Thanks! There's a little description in this chapter, but there will be more in the next few!

Thanks also to Kissin Concern, Mari Knickerbocker, La-p'tite-tete, Grey Pigeon, and mangogal for your reviews!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Legolas did not know what to do with Audrey's confession. For many long moments, they sat facing each other in complete silence. Finally Legolas broke the tension with a softly-spoken question.

"Why?"

Audrey had been staring at the floor, and she flicked her eyes up to him momentarily, but she would not look at him.

"Because you are Legolas Greenleaf, former Prince of Mirkwood, now a Lord of Acadia," she intoned so quietly that his elf ears had to strain to hear her.

"You want me for my _title_?" His voice quickly became ragged with anger. _When has Audrey ever wanted a title? _

"No! I simply meant that is who you are. And I cannot resist who you are." Her answer assuaged his anger momentarily.

"Are you in love with me?"

He watched her response carefully, but only her eyes moved, the lids closing slowly. "I don't know."

"I'll take that as a no." He stood from his chair and began to pace back and forth in the small library, suddenly dying to be rid of her.

"So you want me then? But you do not love me?"

She did not reply and he went to stand immediately in front of her.

"Look at me, Audrey." When she made no move to open her eyes, he was incensed.

He leaned down until his face was nearly level with hers and bellowed, "Look at me!"

Her head snapped up and her eyes met his. He searched her for something, anything that would help him to understand the situation, but she was as unreadable as an elleth.

Legolas' eyes narrowed slightly and he lowered his head until they were only inches apart. Her small intake of breath was immensely satisfying to him, and he smirked rather evilly at her.

He could see in her eyes now that she expected him to kiss her. For an instant, he considered doing so, but he was far too angry. Instead, he lowered his head until he could feel her soft exhalations on his lips, until their noses were touching and he had to strain his eyes to keep hers in focus.

"You are a fool," he hissed. Then he turned swiftly and exited the room, slamming the door behind him. He did not look back.

* * *

The rest of his day had been just as frustrating. He had gotten into a huge argument with Elladan and Elrohir after leaving Audrey because they thought he had treated her too harshly.

_Perhaps I did, but she should not have sprung that on me. _

After Elladan and Elrohir had calmed down, he sat with them and explained the whole story of what had happened with Audrey. He had not left anything out, not even the evening he had taken advantage of her. They had, of course, been horrified, but they felt that it was not their place to chastise him. Still, he did not think he was in good standing with them currently.

Feeling emotionally drained after arguing for most of the afternoon, Legolas had taken to the outdoors. He wandered around the valley, getting to know the village of Acadia and its inhabitants. It was a beautiful place, filled with old oak trees that were growing new leaves and quietly rushing river that flowed to the north of the settlement. He knew he would come to feel at peace here, as it was very much like Rivendell.

Now night was beginning to fall, and he did not know what to do with himself. He had seen most of the village, but the shops had closed and he did not feel much like returning to his home. Currently he was wandering aimlessly through a small public garden that flanked one side of the main square. Thankfully it was much warmer here at night than it had been at the school.

Legolas reached the end of the path through the garden, but he continued on through the woods. He could hear the babble of the river ahead of him, and he decided he wanted to see it. But before he arrived there, he saw a flash of white off to his right. It piqued his curiosity, and he turned to investigate.

After following a faint trail through the woods for a few minutes, he was able to make out the figure much more clearly. It was an elleth with long blonde hair flowing down the back of her white gown. He halted so as not to frighten her, but she must have heard him as she turned to face him.

He nearly jerked back in alarm when he realized it was the girl he had bedded the night before. She began to walk toward him, a small smile on her face. As much as he wanted to run, he forced himself to stay and speak with her. _Eru knows I need another argument tonight. _

"Following me, are you?" She did not sound angry, and he could see the all-too-familiar glint of lust in her eyes. He felt a small jolt of annoyance, but he quickly quelled it. _After all, there is nothing that gets rid of frustration easier than sex. _

Planting a smirk on his face, he answered. "And what if I was?"

"I just don't see why you would be, seeing as you did kick me out of your bed this morning."

"What if I told you I was horribly mistaken for doing so and had regretted it ever since?"

She stepped forward until she was almost touching him and murmured softly, "Well then I would say you were forgiven." Then she tilted her head back to his, and he met her lips with his own.

He walked them backwards until she was pressed between him and a tree, his lips never leaving hers. Legolas knew sleeping with her again was probably not the best idea, but he could not bring himself to care.

He continued to ravish her mouth, his hands caressing her rather roughly, when he felt one small hand slip down his stomach to cup the front of his leggings. He reacted instinctively, ripping himself away from her. It was only after he was several steps away that he realized what he had done.

Her eyes were blazing at him, and it came to him that he still did not know her name. He could feel nothing for disgust for her now, and he was angry with himself at betraying Audrey again. _By the Valar, she admitted that she still wants me and I reacted like a child. I must find her and apologize. _

They stared at each other for a minute, both breathing heavily, until she recovered her voice.

"Well?" she asked in a menacing tone.

"I'm sorry, milady, I cannot." _Audrey. _He tried to look like he actually was sorry, but he was sure he did not achieve it. And by the look on her face, she was going to fly into a rage at any moment.

But she surprised him. Instead of throwing a tantrum, she simply walked right up to him, slapped him across one cheek, called him worthless, and walked away. He stood motionless for a few moments until he remembered that he should find Audrey. With that, he turned and walked back toward the village, careful to take a different route than the elleth he had been with.

It occurred to Legolas after several minutes of walking through the streets and looking at the houses in Acadia that he had no idea where Audrey lived. It was fully dark now, and almost no one was on the streets. He sighed to himself. _I suppose I can always find her in the morning._ But he knew he would never forgive himself if he did not see her now, so he continued perusing the houses, looking for some clue of her existence.

After about half an hour, he reached the last house. He was still clueless as to where Audrey was, and as he did not think Elladan or Elrohir would help him currently, he decided to ask the occupants of this house. _After all, she is the only human here. Maybe everyone knows which house is hers. _

Legolas knocked on the door of the small house and waited patiently for someone to answer. He heard the rustling of footsteps and a dress, and silently offered a prayer to the Valar that it was not the house of the elleth that he had slept with. The door opened silently to reveal a long white dress and blonde hair, and he almost fled before he looked into the face of the woman who had answered the door.

It was the Lady Galadriel. She was smiling radiantly at him, glowing softly with wisdom that he was sure she still possessed. He instantly felt at ease in her presence, as he always had.

"Legolas, my dear elf, would you like to come in?" Her voice radiated with knowledge and power, and for an instant he wanted nothing more than to spill out his troubles to her. _Galadriel would know exactly what to do. _

_Alas, dear elf, I cannot tell you what to do about your mortal friend. _He was momentarily shocked to hear her voice in his head, but he remembered his visits to Lorien and her great power.

"Can you tell me where she is?"

"That I can do. She is in the third house you come to on the other side of the square. It is the one with a rose bush outside."

"Thank you, Lady." He turned to head to Audrey, and heard her voice once more.

_Tell her the truth, young Prince. It will serve you well. _

Legolas smiled at her advice, then broke into a swift run in order to reach Audrey's house quickly. All too soon, he was standing outside. His heart was pounding in apprehension as he raised his hand to knock on the door.

Audrey answered the door swiftly, but then she simply stood there staring up at him in shock, wearing a silk nightgown that reminded him of the night he found her in the snow.

"May I come in?" he asked.

She stepped aside to allow him through, and he walked into her living room. It was a small room, with many bookshelves on the walls and a nice fireplace that currently was lit. It reminded him of his study, and he went to sit cross-legged in front of the fire.

She came to sit beside him, but she still did not speak. He sat watching her for a few moments, pondering how exactly to apologize.

"Do you still want me, Audrey?" Legolas did not realize he had asked the question until it already lingered in the air.

Her brow furrowed and she sighed, but she did not grow angry with him.

"Of course I do, but you're right. I am a fool."

He winced inwardly at her sad tone and did the only thing he could think to do, which was to lean in and kiss her softly. The kiss was not a short peck, but he did not attempt to deepen it. Instead he pulled away from her after a moment and observed her.

Audrey's lips were slightly parted and her eyes were closed. After a moment, they opened and he saw they were sparkling with tears.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"You are no fool," he replied. "The only fool is me." With that, he kissed her again, but this time he did not pull away. She returned his kiss hesitantly at first, but then she brought her hands up to lace them through his hair. He could feel that her cheeks were wet, and he reached up to brush her tears away. Finally, when he was desperate for air, he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

"Audrey," he whispered. "You are so lovely, and I wish for nothing but to worship you. Will you allow me to do so?"

She pulled back to look into his eyes, and just as he was beginning to feel nervous, she smiled softly and nodded at him. He stood, pulling her to her feet, guided her out of the room and into the hall. Once they were there, he stopped and looked around, realizing he did not know where to go.

"Which one is your room?" She giggled at him, then took his hand and led him to a door at the end of the dark hall. Her room was dark, and so he lit a candle by her dresser. The light flickered around the room, bringing out the highlights in her hair. _Eru, she is breathtaking._

She stood in front of him, waiting for him to move, and so he kissed her again, placing one hand on the small of her back and threading the other through her hair. He moved them gently backwards and then swept her off her feet and onto her bed, lying next to her. He kissed her softly, knowing it was what she needed.

Legolas moved down to her neck, leaving a trail of kisses along her jaw as he went. He continued to her shoulder, slipping off the thin strap of her nightgown. She did not flinch when he did so, but she pulled him back up to her mouth. At first he thought she was frightened, and he resolved to move more slowly, but then he felt her hands tugging on the sides of his tunic. He helped her remove it, and his head spun as her hands explored his torso.

He wanted to feel her skin, so he slid his hands up her arms until he reached the straps of her gown. Slipping his fingers under them, he looked up into her eyes. When she nodded, he slipped the gown off her shoulders and down to her waist, exposing her breasts to him. She was so beautiful that he could not think, and he moved down to take one pink nipple into his mouth.

Instantly her back arched, and she gripped his head as she sighed softly in satisfaction. After a few moments, he kissed his way slowly down her stomach, sliding the nightgown off her thin frame until she was bare beneath him. He slipped one hand smoothly between her thighs as he kissed her belly button, and she sighed again. He continued to pleasure her, rubbing her core with his fingers, and she began to move beneath him.

Legolas looked up to see Audrey's head thrown back in ecstasy, exposing her slightly flushed neck. He seized the opportunity and leaned up to kiss it, nipping her gently. She squeaked at the sensation, but then he felt her breath on the tip of his ear. He groaned softly when she flicked it with her tongue, and he pulled swiftly back from her neck.

He moved back down her stomach to the junction of her thighs and began to kiss her there. She tasted faintly sweet, as he would imagine a flower would taste, and he did not cease his ministrations until she was writhing beneath him. When he did stop, she pulled his face up to her own again and kissed him. For the second time that night, he felt a hand slip down to the front of his leggings.

Audrey fumbled with the laces, and he helped her remove the leggings, exposing him to her eyes. She gasped in surprise, and he met her gaze.

"Are you sure?"

She looked into his blue eyes for a few more moments without answering, and then she took his elfhood into her hands, and he knew. She guided him to settle between her thighs, and he slipped slowly into her warmth.

He saw her wince when he was fully encased in her, and he stopped and kissed her until she broke away.

"I'm ready," she murmured.

Finally he began to move slowly within her. She met him thrust for thrust, softly at first, but then with more abandon. He felt the pressure building up inside of him, and he slipped a hand to where their bodies were joined to caress her.

She responded instantly, moaning audibly and arching into him. It only took a few moments for him to bring her to release, and when he felt her walls clench around him, he quickly followed, collapsing on top of her.

After he recovered, Legolas slipped off of her and made to go get his clothes. However, her hand clasped his arm, stopping him.

"Stay," Audrey said softly, her eyes beseeching him. And so he climbed back into bed beside her, and cradling her in his arms, they slipped into sleep.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Review if you wish!


	13. In Which Legolas Must Choose

Finally I wrote another chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to Valadhiel, mangogal, IheartStewart20, and La-p'tite-tete for reviewing, and thank you to everyone who's encouraged me!

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to Tolkien. If they belonged to me, then I would be the published author instead of writing here.

Please read and review! Italics are thoughts. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Legolas had awoken before dawn that morning, feeling very restless. He had not wanted to leave Audrey alone, but he knew she was exhausted, and so he did not wake her. Instead he slipped out of her bed and dressed quickly. In lieu of leaving a note for her, he slipped a single red rose on a nightstand for her to see when she awoke.

He wasn't sure where he was headed, but he let his feet lead him to the Lady Galadriel's house. Hoping she was already awake, he walked up to knock on her door only to have it open before he could knock.

"Legolas, my dear elf, how are you this morning?" the Lady questioned as she welcomed him in.

He accepted a cup of tea and drank a little before answering. "I am much better than I was last night."

She smiled warmly at him but did not respond and the silence stretched for several minutes. He did not know why, but it made him feel vaguely uneasy. Peering down into his cup, he was startled when Galadriel finally spoke again.

"Are you going to tell me why you've come here so early?"

"I am not even sure myself why I've come. I just felt restless when I was at Audrey's house."

"Restless?"

"Well I wanted to stay, but I could not make myself. I care about her very much, but something was not right. Something _still_ is not right."

The Lady stood and went to a bookshelf in the corner, pulling a small box down from the top shelf. "You know, Legolas, you are the last elf that was sent to this world to come to Acadia. Now we are all here."

"That is…good, I suppose. But I do not know what you mean." _Or how that could possibly have anything to do with Audrey and myself._

He had forgotten about Galadriel's ability until she answered him back wordlessly. _It does affect your relationship with Audrey, for now we can leave. _

For a few moments Legolas was so overwhelmed by joy that he could not speak. When he found his voice once again, he asked, "We can leave? You mean we can return to Arda?"

"Yes," the Lady replied, "we can return, but we would go to Valinor instead of Arda. Arda is much changed since we were all taken away."

"But how is this possible? I have searched for a way back for many centuries and I have found nothing!"

Galadriel sat in front of him once again. She looked quite out of place in the barely-lit room, turning the small box over in her hands. "The Valar have given us a boon, since we were taken against our wills. They have delivered this to me so we can return."

She handed Legolas the box, and he took it carefully. On the outside it was quite nondescript, but when he opened it, the jewel inside seemed to catch every ray of light in the room, and it shown like a small sun.

"This is your ring, one of the three rings of the Elves!" he exclaimed.

"Yes. I have kept it until you came, and now we can use it to return."

Legolas leapt up from his chair. "Well what are we waiting for? Let us gather everyone together and go! Audrey will be so thrilled!" He turned to run from the room, but a quiet voice in his head stopped him.

_Legolas, Audrey cannot come with us. _

He froze at that, and could not breathe for several moments. "She cannot come?" he finally whispered, turning back to Galadriel.

"No. The boon is only for the elves. The ring would not accept her."

Legolas felt all his hope and happiness draining from him to be replaced with a dreadful sense of melancholy. "And if I choose to stay here, can everyone else go?"

"Yes, the Valar will permit us to leave without you. But Legolas, if you renounce this boon, you will no longer be an elf. You will remain in the same form like all mortals do in their youth, but you will age like them, and eventually you will die."

He nodded slowly, absorbing the news, and then stood to leave. "Legolas," the Lady called to him, "you must decide soon. There are many elves who are restless and will not stand to wait another month."

"Of course," he murmured, and then he turned back out the door.

Again he let his feet guide him as he was lost in his thoughts. He was surprised to look up and see that he had returned to Audrey's cottage. Dawn had broke while he was in Galadriel's house, and he had no doubt Audrey would be awake now. But his knocking brought no answer, and so he slipped silently back into her house.

Walking back to her bedroom, he heard a quiet humming coming from the room across the hall. He opened the door to find himself in her bathroom; Audrey was in a tub full of bubbles, humming to herself. The rose he had left her was sitting next to the tub.

He closed the door with enough force so she would hear him, and she jerked around. When she saw he was back, her face broke into the most beautiful smile, and he was surprised she could not hear his heart breaking.

Legolas went to sit next to the tub, kissing her gently before sitting. He tried to smile back at her, but he was sure his smile looked more like a grimace.

When he had entered, she had looked as if she was in a talkative mood, but her smile quickly faded at the expression on his face.

"Thank you for the rose," she all but whispered before turning back and rinsing her hair. He felt a surge of emotion at her simple gratitude, and heedless of the water, he reached into the bath to pick her up. She gasped at his boldness, and he wrapped her in a towel before guiding her back into her room. Once there, he kissed her urgently, and she responded just as fervently, peeling his wet tunic from his chest as they walked back to her bed.

Legolas continued kissing her as Audrey unlaced his breeches and removed them. At the first gentle touch of her hand on him, he ripped the towel from her, swung them both onto the bed, and entered her in one swift movement. He did not cease kissing her as he thrust into her, and she seemed to realize that he did not need gentleness now. He came quickly, regretfully without bringing her pleasure, but she kissed him insistently as he pulled out of her warmth, holding him to her regardless. After his head began to clear, he realized that the wetness on his face was not bath water, but tears.

Audrey did not stop kissing him, running her hands up and down his arms and his back, and he felt himself beginning to respond to her again. This time when he entered her, it was much more slowly, and they rocked together until both of them gasped out in ecstasy. He collapsed onto one side and pulled her to him, and they both fell asleep.

* * *

Legolas woke several hours later to the sensation of Audrey's eyelashes against his chest as she blinked. He stirred, slipping his head down to kiss her softly. He pulled away to study her, and she smiled at him.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly.

Legolas sighed. "I had a talk with Galadriel this morning, and she knows a way to get back to Middle Earth."

Somehow Audrey knew this was not good news, for she did not even smile. Legolas did not know how to break the news to her, so they laid looking into each other's eyes for a long moment.

"She said I could not come, didn't she?" Audrey's voice was almost too soft to hear.

"Yes," Legolas whispered back. Audrey buried her face in his chest, hugging him to her tightly.

"You should go anyway."

"Audrey, I do not want to leave you—"

"No! It is your home. I will be fine here, and you want to go back to your home. You'll be happy there, and I want you to be happy."

Legolas could not believe what she was saying. _Eru, how am I supposed to leave her when she is selfless enough to give me up for my own happiness? _

Audrey continued, "Besides, I'm just a girl and you will meet other women there. You are an elf and you have to live a long life with your friends. If you stay here, I'll die and leave you alone. So you should go."

Legolas lay with her for what felt like several hours, but he knew it was only a few minutes before he replied. "Yes, I should go. Tonight, too, for everyone will be waiting." They smiled sadly at one another, then slipped out of bed and dressed.

Legolas headed toward Elladan and Elrohir's home to tell them to spread the news, but Audrey went to see Galadriel one last time. Before they parted, she kissed him and promised to stay there to see the elves go.

* * *

Several hours later, all the elves of Acadia had gathered outside the Lady's house. They stood looking expectantly at Elrohir and Elladan who waited outside Galadriel's door for her to come out with the ring. She emerged after a few minutes, accompanied by Audrey.

"It is time," the Lady said, and all the elves gathered around. Audrey went to move outside the gathering, but Legolas stopped her. He turned back to the Lady, and she nodded at him to say goodbye.

Legolas followed Audrey outside the circle of elves and took her into his arms one last time. She smiled brilliantly up at him and then hugged him tightly to her. "I will never forget you, Legolas Thranduillion."

"Do you love me, Audrey?" he asked softly of her. She stepped away from him, taking his hands and smiled once again.

"Of course I do, silly elf. I will love you for always." He nodded, then kissed her forehead and turned to enter into the circle of elves, leaving her standing alone.

Legolas approached the Lady and she asked, "Are you ready to go now?"

He smiled, taking in the sight of all of the eager elves, and then turned to his two best friends.

"Elladan, Elrohir, I will miss you." They blinked in surprise and he turned back to the Lady before what he said had time to register.

"I wish to renounce the boon of the Valar, and remain behind as a mortal."

The circle of elves was deathly still, stiller even than elves normally are, but Galadriel simply nodded and placed the ring on her finger. In an instant, Legolas and Audrey were left alone in Acadia.

He turned slowly to meet her eyes, only to find them closed. There were tears running down her cheeks, and she made a lovely picture with the wind blowing her hair every which way. He walked silently toward her and stroked one cheek with his fingertips. Audrey's eyes flew open and she threw herself upon him.

"You're still here?"

"Of course I am, silly girl. I love you, and I could not leave you simply for a country."

Her face dropped into despair though, and she shook her head. "But I will die and you will have to be here forever."

He laughed at that, and responded. "Since I renounced the boon, I am now mortal."

Audrey beamed at him, and then wrapped her arm around his waist and walked with him back into the village.

* * *

And that is the end! I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading; review if you wish!


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